Jocelyn Seizing, A Moment (2 of 5)

(Continued jocelyn-seizing-moment-1-of-5)

Curly Hair With Outstretched Arm

As I read, couldn't help notice a lady with a bad perm staring at her hands. Every couple of minutes she would put the book down, look at her hand, then look at the book. Her left hand was skinnier than the other. Gimpy. Thought she was having a heart attack at first. Book in her right hand, then she would hold her other arm stiffly. She rolled her wrist as if in pain. Then I noticed the title of the book and it made sense. Palmistry. 

She traced her hand from top to bottom. She was measuring life line. Head lines go from left to right. Folds in her palms told her destiny. "Girdle of Venus" and "Simian Crease" she mouthed quietly to herself. Noticed the cross around her neck and I thought, Funny. Roman Catholic I guessed, Filipino, based on the tonality of her phone call. During times of Inquisition, the idea of astrology, palmistry, and the reading entrails would mean excommunication or at the least a beating.

Useless, Really?

Started thinking Jocelyn. Started thinking about a post to write. We pick up seemingly useless pieces of information all the time. We are sponges. We take time reading stuff that we probably will never use in life. We do this all the time. Palmistry, astrology, and Feng Shui. Useless, but fun to read. But really, is it useless?  We can dissects one's personality by their birth date and creases on their hand. We can learn how to adjust one's life, by rearranging the furniture in his home. Centuries these practices existed and we dismiss them. Its a bit like reading comics. We think it is for children. In many ways, its more than that. Its a way how people relate.

Problem Still Here, Felony Again

Then I heard it again. It was deep, rattling gurgling sound. No, not Jocelyn. It was a young man standing over the seated one. Actually, I think they were either seniors in high school or freshmen in college. One’s hair was a curly, like younger version of less buff Carrot Top and Hispanic. His hand was at the other’s throat, arm outstretched,  and it looked from a distance that he was strangling the other one. Gurgling sound was a bit unnerving.

Someone is committing a felony—an assault—in  Barnes and Nobles and no one is doing anything.  Kitty Genovese again. At a gas station I frequented few months back had an incident. Crazy husband sprays gasoline over his and proceeded to follow her with a lighter. It happened few minutes after I left. 

It seems so surreal when crazy stuff happens right in front of your face. Time slows down and you are watching a tragedy take place. I’ve been in a couple of car accidents before and watching this young man choking this other man in the store, time just slowed.

Thought of Jocelyn again. 

(Continued jocelyn-seizing-moment-3-of-5)