David’s vantage point

David was in his garage with his arms on the side, stationary. He appeared like a man who had a plan but wasn’t sure if there ever was a good time to act on it. In a stupor almost, David stood still, staring but not looking at what’s ahead.

He almost always retired to his garage at times like this. It wasn’t necessarily a silent place. The home heating unit lay in the periphery occasionally creating a racket and then shutting up like nothing happened. Since the garage wasn’t heated, the floor would get reasonably cold. David liked the feel of a cold linoleum garage on his corned feet. There were plenty of tools that lay around him. Industrial smells of random petroleum based products wafted in the garage air. If he stayed long enough he would feel slightly heady and perhaps finally resolve whatever it was troubling him at the time.

In the middle of his garage stood a silver Aston Martin V12 Vantage. This was David’s final job. After her, he had decided to stop stealing cars. It wasn’t like he believed there wouldn’t be better or faster cars but he had finally found one that left nothing to be desired. For the first time, in a very long time, David was experiencing satisfaction.

In fact, he had found this peace in more ways than one. Which is why he stood where stood, in front of one of the most beautiful and iconic cars ever made. In this serene surrounding, barring the occasional wail of the heater blower, David formulated his thoughts in first person.

“I want to tell you that I am in love with you. I want you to know that this love of mine has never been privy to such purity and intensity. I am completely satisfied with everything you say, do or choose to ignore. Your presence alone lightens my troubles and flattens my creases on my temple. I begin my day with you and cannot bear the thought of ending the day without you. I don’t miss you, I yearn for you. I don’t find it unbelievable that my love hasn’t faded an inch or your love hasn’t stopped from growing. Everything that I will ever be is because of you.

I love the way you look. I love your small nose. I tiny skin colored hair strands that stick out when you tie up your hair. I can’t get enough of your smell even if you just finished painting the table. I haven’t experienced anything softer than your skin on mine. I haven’t seen such green eyes so prying yet so timid. Your voice over any electronic media manages to stay alive through all the band pass filters. I have knowingly stared you at times, fearing that perhaps I wouldn’t get enough.

I cannot even imagine why you decided to be with me. But, I cannot imagine a way of life, without you being with me. I have fumbled for way too long. I questioned your silly things for the wrong reasons. It is evident that I cannot let you go. That as much I hate permanency, without you, any change would be redundant. You are my square one. You are my pass-to-go. I want to you to never leave…”

His recital was interrupted from what he thought Jennifer calling him. So he turned an ear and confirmed this. Jennifer was looking for something in the kitchen when he heard her yell through the garage door.

“David, what are you doing in the garage? It will be spring soon and you should be to take her out soon. Staring at the car won’t help!”

He turned around. She was wrong about the staring part. In the reflection of the car’s window he had seen his face of calm. He had seen a faint smile that cracked when Jennifer too called her ‘her’.

He reached into his pocket and fished around to locate a metallic ring shaped object. He had lived a charmed life directed by sheer impulses and exotic car thefts. But for the life he wanted to live, he wasn’t going to take chances.

He spun around with the ring in his hand and stepped back through the kitchen door, leaving the Aston behind on the cold garage floor.

And for the first time he did not look back at the car. Because he knew that she too would understand of what lay ahead.