Time for what it's worth - Gloria Swan (rainbow fish read aloud TXT) 📗

2 minutes and 13 seconds to grab his bag from the closet and walk to his car. 39 seconds of jumbling with his keys, unlocking the white 2009 Honda accord, and starting the engine. 23 minutes to arrive at his work. 3 minutes searching for a parking spot. 4 minutes to walk to his office and sit down. 1 minute to check his messages. 5 and a half minutes thinking about her, but not picking up the phone. 32 minutes dazing out at the large oak tree, contemplating how miserable his life has become. 71 minutes and 22 seconds wasted.


He could have saved her, but he had been too busy gulping down his large coke and eating his deluxe hamburger to even notice. If he would have glanced up, even for a moment, he would have seen her staggering by the stop sign, he would have witnessed the sloshing bottle of liquor. But who pays attention to the homeless anyway? Especially when dinning in the burger joint and laughing with friends. He heard the squeal of brakes and the bang. He didn’t see her fall, but looked up after it was too late. He could have made a difference.


She throws her heart out to sea, like a message trapped in a bottle. All her secrets spilt upon the salty waves as they lick up her heels. Tears don’t come, it isn’t time for them to be wept yet. She glances down at her wrist watch, the sun will set soon and then it will be all over with. She digs her toes hard into the sand, as though being planted better will save her. Only four more minutes to go. She thinks of all the other 4 minutes in her life that she has used up and discarded.

Publication Date: 09-12-2010

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