Smokey Saga #72:
"Eleven"
*****
This is semi-adapted from a play script I wrote around the turn of the 2010s. A carbon-copy of that would not work very well as an erotic narrative. Well, it might, but most would find it far-stretched and far-fetched. So I feel what I came up with here turned out better. Hope you like it. Please enjoy, like each time, and you know your feedback is welcomed, valued and appreciated. Cheerios.
Update: I originally submitted this on February 24th, 2017, and it was rejected, as I realized I forgot one of Lit's rules. It takes Literotica several days to approve and publish a story, and actually even longer to let you know if it's been rejected. So...as a result, February '17's story has not/did not make it onto the site until March. My apologies for that; I forgot the rule, like I said, it's on me. But this shouldn't disrupt the timing or publication of March '17's eventual story. Thanks again, folks.
*****
Ride 'N' Park
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016, 5:56 p.m.
The day was unseasonably pleasant in the high 50s, a nice surprise for outdoor-bound Juniperites. Especially here in the midwest, where winters proved quite unforgiving. A month ago, North America's faithful groundhog Phil Sowerby saw no shadows belonging to him. The prediction seemed accurate today, even with three more technical weeks of winter on the calendar.
One of Juniper, Minnesota's most treasured landmarks was the Park of Andrewsville County. It was massive, rich in both greenlife and acreage, and populated daily by people and animals alike. Most fairweather days including this one saw parkgoers picnicking, playing with their dogs, pushing their kids on the swings, or just perching on a bench and taking it easy. Into this fourth and last area of activity fell a pensive, thoughtful middle-aged woman named Merissa.
Merissa was not a native Minnesotan. As a matter of fact, it was her first day in the North Star State. She'd been led here through a rather complicated, unfortunate series of events. She'd wandered along until finding this park, and didn't feel a great deal of energy or motivation to go elsewhere, even as the sky began to dim. A suitcase sat by her feet, in her hands a diary and pen.
Around her, the park slowly emptied for the day. Alongside it, a few feet out in front of her bench ran a stretch of the Juniper-Minneapolis bike trail. Merissa looked up as she heard a new sound approaching.
From her right, a lady jogger trotted the trail due east, slowing to a halt near the bench. She was decked in athletic but winter-friendly gear, including sneakers and a pedometer, and sprinkled with sweat. She jogged a few more steps in place, stopped, caught her breath, and wiped perspiration from around her headband. Bottle of water in hand, she squirted some in her mouth and the rest of her face. She checked both her pulse and pedometer.
Pant.
"Yes!"
The jogger, whose name was Andi, had gone a mile and a half east on the trail, her desired distance. She normally did three miles a day. After the first mile and a half, she took an intermission, did some mid-run stretching and about-faced home. Though Merissa was not a justice of the peace, Andi approached her bench, gesturing to its unoccupied half.
"May I?"
Merissa looked up from her diary.
"Hm? Oh, uh, sure. Sure, go ahead."
Andi placed her left tennie on the bench to re-tie it. She felt she'd done this shoe too tight, and having freshly clipped her nails, now had trouble undoing it. Merissa was similarly less able to see her writing in the diary with disappearing daylight. She shut it and her eyes, and let her head loll back. She didn't know how much time passed, but she heard the jogger start emitting grunts and mutters. Finally, she heard that she was being addressed.
"Hi, 'scuse me, eh..."
Merissa opened her eyes, turning her way.
"Sorry, I know this may be a little weird to ask, but, uh...have you got nails, by chance? Do you think you could maybe help me with my shoe? I double-knotted it too tight."
"Mm..." Merissa set down the diary. "Well, I, uh...I guess I could try."
Indeed, it took a little doing, but with some skilled dexterity, she managed to loosen Andi's laces.
"Whew! Thanks, lady!" Andi sat beside her, redid her right sneaker and pulled her socks up. Merissa retrieved her purse, reopened her diary, took out her phone and used it as a flashlight. Beside her, Andi stretched and rolled out her cricks.
"Oh," she observed. "Mind if I ask what you're reading?"
"Mm, I'm writing, actually. 'S my diary."
"Oh. Oh, I see." Andi stood, cracked her knuckles and rolled her head around her shoulders. "Well, tell it hi for me. Got another mile and a half to cover here. Thanks for untying me. I'll see ya!"
"Bye," sniffled Merissa.
Andi headed back off the way she came, leaving Merissa's line of sight. She listened to the footsteps fade off, realizing just how empty the park had become. The sounds of frolicking were taken over by crickets and light gusts of wind. Merissa began to notice too how cold she was. Not to mention...alone. It had already sunk in that she was alone, and how. And just how
cold
the world could be, figuratively and literally. Of course, it would probably have been warmer had she stayed back home. But, she'd be sniffling either way.
Well, she guessed she'd better get up and find someplace to stay before it got too late. She slipped the phone and diary into her purse and picked up her suitcase. She felt her eyes water, also for two reasons. Well, at least...
Sigh
. She should head off the same way as that woman whose shoe she'd untied. It looked like it would eventually take her back out to the main business district. She could certainly grab a cab from there and get herself to a hot—
Her thoughts were interrupted as she saw something she didn't expect. Now facing west on the bicycle trail, her eyes and ears once again detected approach. A few moments more, and she could see...it was the jogger. The very same one who'd briefly met her in the park. There was just enough daylight left to recognize her.
"
Oh.
Um...hello."
"Hi there," she panted, jogging a few more steps in place. "How's, eh...how's it going?"
Merissa arched a brow.
"Uhhhhh-kay, I-I guess," she supposed out loud. "I, uh...I kinda thought you were...going that way."
Her jogger acquaintance shrugged. "I was, but...I dunno, before, when I said 'See ya' and you said 'Bye,' sounded like you...sniffled. And I didn't know if it was like a, y'know, 'It's chilly out here' sniffle, or a..." Another shrug. "...'I'm having a tough day' sniffle."
Merissa looked forlornly at the ground, blinking repeatedly.
"Change 'tough day' to 'tough past couple months' and you'd pretty much have it."
"Aw, I'm sorry. Well...this would normally be the point where I'd say, 'Feel free to talk to me about it if you want.' But if not, no biggie; I'll shut right on up and get outta here. I've made that offer more times than I can count, but no one's really ever taken me up on it."
"Does that mean it's not on the table for me?"
"...No, not necessarily. We could walk and talk. You could use me as your diary, and I'll promise to keep everything in confidence."
"That's very sweet of you, honey, but...I don't even know your name."
"Andi. Short for Andrea. My last name's Jackson, and I swear I'm not even making that up. Andi Jackson. Honest to God," she chortled. "You'll probably never see me on a $20 bill...although you never know."
A weak chuckle and a handshake followed. "Merissa. Nice to meet you, Andi."
"Lovewise! Well, Merissa...strange as it might seem, I also wanted to thank you again for untying my shoe. I know it's not that big a thing, but, it was
really
hurting my foot. And, well, I don't wanna come off as, like, some kinda whackadoo or whatever. But the thing is, I've been going through this...sorta...inspirational life phase, you might say. See, I went to this seminar that teaches you how to be more gracious and outgoing with people. And I don't always remember at first, but I'm trying my best."
She smiled. Something about her sweaty, gentle face brightening into a friendly smile made Merissa feel a little better.
"...Okay. Well, um...
"Which way're you going, Andi?"
*****
A Leap Of Faith
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016, 6:13 p.m.
"Well...as it turns out, I just came here today. It was completely by chance."
