Temporary

I sat at the table but didn’t hear a word she said. She went on from topic to topic. All I could focus on was the moisture spreading from the outside of my water glass forming a ring on the table cloth.

“Are you listening to me? Her hair turned orange!”
“hmmm.”

The spots where the water thoroughly saturated the cloth were darker like ink blots. The tablecloth was a cheery red, but the stain insinuated something sinister. But in the end, this was a temporary stain that would fade away or at worst leave a dim reminder of where it once was.

“Then, he came back! You are not listening!”
“I am. You were talking about her hair”

The waiter came, picked up the bill and the water glasses. I looked across to her side of the table. The water had left a tiny crescent moon and yet on my side there was a dark eclipse spilling into the night of the red table cloth.

“I personally can’t believe it. Don’t you think that’s ridiculous?”
“Absolutely.”