Letters to No Where

Every day she wrote to him. She would scribble a poem between work and down time if she didn't have the energy. Sometimes she would spend hours in an almost trance drawing a map to her mind that day. Only problem was that he didn't necessarily exist yet but she didn't seem to mind. In fact Mindy found writing the letters to be the best part of her day. All day long she would listen to others and talk about others and surround herself with others. Her letter writing gave her the chance to focus solely on who she was and what was on her mind. And the beauty of no he on the other end was that He could never judge her or demand his own air time. Although admittedly Mindy had on several occasions dreamed perhaps there were a He and he was handsome and charming. But she never imagined they were in love because love was only an extension of the ego in disguise; or so she had come to believe. Mindy imagined that they would simply enjoy each others minds and hadn't conjured any reason to physically engage; especially because he was simply imaginary.

Mindy could be pretty if she tried and she had a vibe that often scared people away at first. Most of the time she was unaware of the signals she was sending and wondered why others rarely approached her for no reason beyond wanting to get to know her. She had grown used to dinners alone and shopping alone and sitting alone at lunch, there were a couple days a month she would even see a movie alone. There was nothing terrifying about being with her own thoughts; she enjoyed her own company sometimes more then she could anyone else's. There were approximately two friends that Mindy kept in steady contact with and neither of them bothered to make much effort to spend time with her. Her existence was frankly quite bland to say the least but Mindy ignored this prospect. She lived solely in her own world and actually possessed a fairly intelligent mind.

Despite her happiness with the life she led Mindy felt she needed change, so she sat down to write one last letter.

Dear No Where Man, 
I fear our time together is coming to a close and I must tell you while this is sad for me I think it may be best. When I was a little girl I had a watch that I loved so dearly I wished it would never fade; so I buried it in a neat little box beneath an ugly old tree. I suppose if I can't see the decay it isn't happening and I don't want to watch this fall to pieces like so many things in life. I have decided this place and this routine has gotten old and while you've helped me so very much I can not possibly allow my heart to yearn for someone who may never be mine. In a somewhat hasty manner I have decided I'm going to going away for a while to find myself. I know it sounds cliché and don't worry I'm fully prepared for the turbulence - its half the fun of getting to me. 
From the stars, the moon and my untamed mind, love always, 
Mindy

As she ended the letter with the same phrase she always did Mindy could feel a slight release. She stuffed her last letter in the overstuffed shoebox that housed the rest and tied a ruby red ribbon around it for safe measures. The next day Mindy packed some clothes with little else. With her newly packed bag on the bed she grabbed her box and walked a path she reserved for warm days and uncontrollable thinking. Mindy could follow this path backwards with her eyes closed but could hardly tell you her surroundings because she had always been so deep in thought. This time however the trees intrigued her and the painted cobblestone confused her. There were rhythms she had never heard before and lights she had always seemed to ignore. The life of the park became the most fascinating thing she had ever witnessed.

Trent sat at his usual bench observing the park as he always did. On a day like this he should be working; or rather trying to work. Being a self proclaimed author Trent didn't have much time to devote to his writing and moreover he a had taken the entire day off from his "temporary" waiting job for some extra time to finish his novel. The problem was he had hit a dead end. But it didn't stress him so much in this environment and he hoped that the quiet wind in the trees and the rhythmic lapping of the small lake would inspire him in some way. It never failed that something would spark his interest and carry his mind away with him. Looking out across the lake Trent spotted the clumsy looking girl from his building. He often saw her gliding down the path with her mind in the clouds and wondered what her story was. He ducked his eyes trying not to stare. Her hair hung wavy and free over her shoulders, a refreshing change from her usual tightly pulled back style. Trent had never actually talked to the quiet girl from down the hall; generally she kept to herself. Sometimes they would bump into each other in the stairwell and she would just keep her head down and nod.

On this particular day she was carrying what looked like a shoebox with a bright red bow. He curiously tried to formulate what could possibly be inside. Trent imagined that this innocent looking girl could be a secret mafia torture member and maybe the box was cradling a human hand. Okay maybe that was a by far fetched Trent thought. But it would be pretty badass. The autumn leaves roared to life with a sudden gust of wind and Trent pulled his coat closer to his body. He had once spent a very drunken night on his bench in the dead of winter in only his bathing suit. It was no surprise that as a consequence he was sick and hospitalized for nearly two weeks. But during that two weeks he was able to write almost half his novel and the main character had been subject to a very similar scenario. Only his main character had an attractive misunderstood young lady by his bedside during recovery and Trent had settled for the cranky old man who shared his room and who sometimes spat his food out at him if he spoke to much.

Mindy paced herself; allowing the experience to warm her like a good glass of cheap wine. She found a bench over looking the lake and sat, admiring all the colours swirling around her. Directly across the lake was another bench where a man sat starring at her. His hair was tussled and his posture was a confused mess. She wondered if he was looking at her or perhaps he was so deep in thought that his eyes had simply wandered this way. His expression seemed slightly comical as though he may be reminiscing on something that was unpleasant but somehow funny. Mindy leant over her box looking at him for a while. The two were a strange sight to see. Through a small distance neither seemed to notice the other noticing; however both became completely enamored by the image of the other. If the world had suddenly shrunk and the two were face to face they would be gazing somewhat longingly into each others eyes without the slightest idea that they were. Trying to shake the eerie feeling that she had seen this mysterious man before, Mindy sat upright and looked down at the box. She set it carefully beside her and patted the top.

"Goodbye No Where Man" she whispered, for a moment forgetting he wasn't real and wondering if he would be okay. Mindy shivered, partially from the cold and also partially from a thought that maybe she was entirely crazy and had finally lost it. As she stood to walk home she noticed the man across the lake finch so subtly she thought maybe she had imagined it. The walk home seemed almost somber but just as refreshing as the walk there. Mindy felt as though she was finally getting where she needed to go and had started to create her own meaning about everything.

Trent nearly bounced from his seat when the quiet girl stood to leave with no indication of retrieving the box she had set so preciously beside her. But he didn't want to seem eager so he tried really hard to supress his excitement. He hoped that no one else would pick up the box before he could get to it and fulfill his curiosity. There was something so strange but intriguing about that girl and he felt that this box may help him gain insight into her locked down life. He didn't really care if it was creepy and as soon as she was out of sight he set off in a full out sprint down the uneven cobble stone trying not to trip. It wasn't to far of a jog around only half of the lake but none the less Trent doubled over out of breath the minute he reached the other bench. In high school Trent had been a tremendous runner but now after years of take out and late meals he had let his athletic frame go and was quite out of shape. His green eyes peered at the box as though it were Pandora's box and maybe the contents were better unseen; especially if it was a human hand. The ribbon fell to the boxes side with one gentle tug and this was it. When he slide off the lid mounds of paper revealed themselves and threatened to spill over the edges. He quickly closed the top and tucked the box up under his arm; the contents of this box would be better read in the comfort of his home with a cold bear.

Trent settled on his living room floor and carefully dumped the box full of paper out. He spent the rest of the day reading Mindy's careful ideas and strange but intoxicating thoughts. With every letter he found himself yearning to be this No Where Man and wanting more . Trent imagined himself walking with Mindy and listening to her ramble on about Italy or Paris or the weird dream she had last night. He could see her hands flailing when she talked and her eyes focusing on their every movement. In her pictures he saw her in a most vulnerable state and it felt almost wrong to exploit these parts of herself without her knowledge. But it consoled him that if she hadn't wanted anyone to find them she wouldn't have left them on the bench. It was late into the night by the time he finally reached the last letter; it was a bittersweet moment and upon realizing that she was going away for a while Trent sprinted to his door and peered down the hall. Hoping she had not yet left he frantically went back inside and found a notepad and pen.

Dearest Mindy,
I'm in love with your mind. As much as anyone can love another or maybe more. Perhaps I'm simply enchanted by your seemingly effortless dazzling words or perhaps its the pictures you paint so vividly in my own mind that set my world a blaze. The trouble is I don't truly know you. I can shape you in my thoughts but a mind has no age or gender; it has no physical features to crave. So how can I fall so deeply into something that doesn't exist? I'm sure it will fade like almost everything does and I will be left curious of what has happened and how I was so stupid.
But I can't just ignore it, I have to know, I have to know you. I realize my time is running out, I only wish I had seen sooner what I would be missing out on. I want to ask you to stay and let me get to know you; but it is selfish to say please don't go... So at the very least let me come with you. It could be a great new adventure and I promise to only follow your lead. I know this sounds crazy believe me if I wasn't on such an adrenaline rush I would probably think twice about even writing you this letter.
From the stars, the moon and my untamed mind, love always,
Your No Where Man from 5A

Trent finished hastily but made sure to sign off in the same way that Mindy always did. With his heart pounding he rushed down the hall and slipped the paper under her door; he knocked almost to loudly and hurried back to his own apartment. His palms were sweaty and heart was pounding so hard he felt he might lose it. Minutes later, though it felt like hours Trent heard a door creak open and a quiet "hello" echo down the hall.

Mindy confused by the sudden disruption in her evening looked puzzled up and down the hall. No one came to visit her, especially not at two in the morning. She looked down at her feet noticing that she was standing on a piece of paper with hardly legible scribbles on it. She picked the paper up curiously and closed the door.