Historical Fiction Paper

Daisy Baran

As I step outside the sounds of horns and car engines immediately flood my ears. Once again I am leaving the house to do my obligatory errands. The looks my cats give me immediately make me stop and wonder if I should just stay home. Knowing that I must be home no later than 6:30 for the new episode of The Golden Girls, I decide that if I venture out it must be now or never. Living in Murray Hill is so entertaining that I often go to the park and people watch. On my way to the library I take Subway line G. I watch as the flocks of people going up and down the subway stairs. I see a women trip and fall all the way down.

I get off the subway and see a lady sleeping on one of the subway benches that seems really uncomfortable. She had short brown hair that she had tied up and stuffed into a hat. A newspaper lay  across her stomach just about to fall off. I wanted to wake up her up because she seemed like she was just wasting her day away.

I return my library books and decide to take a break at a cafe across the street. I sit down and have a cup of coffee. It’s rush hour and all the booths are filled with tourist and workers on break. I sit at the bar, right by the kitchen door. There is a birthday party with little children. The presents are piling up on one side of the table. All the parents talk about their children and how they are doing in school. Next to the presents is a baby in a highchair squirming around. No one is watching him and he wiggles out of his chair and hit his head.

Shortly after I get my coffee, a woman sits down in the seat next to me. She seems to be on a lunch break. She eagerly flags down the waitress to order her food. Sipping my coffee, I try not to stare as she eats the whole plate without stopping for a break. She starts to choke, there is a doctor in the cafe who gives her heimlich.  

Outside the cafe seems to be where all the couples are sitting. Some of the tables had bouquets of flowers others had boxes of chocolates. One couple at the end proposed and they were now vigorously kissing eachother, making everyone else uncomfortable.

As I walk down 3rd Ave there is a group of tourists strolling down the street. They take up the whole sidewalk so I decide to walk on the other side of the street and cut through the park. When I get to the other side I hear a lady in the group scream out, “He took my wallet!”. When the cars cleared I see man in a beanie running away with one of the tourist’s wallets.

I start to walk through St. Vartan Park, and people sitting on benches watching the runners go by. The playground is full of kids on slides and swings playing tag and “lava”. In the far corner of the park is a water fountain with benches around it. The kids playing in the fountain and splash in the puddles.

Across the way,workers are cutting the branches of the trees in the park. The saw makes a loud, annoying, noise.

On my last stop before my walk back home, I stop at the office supplies store on 3rd. They are having a huge sale because they are closing soon and I decide to take a look. As I rummage through the sale bins I find a new notebook, a letter opening, and a pack of tacks.

Two blocks away from my apartment I walk past the local pub when I am startled by yelling. Suddenly, out of nowhere two men fly out of the bar all over each other throwing punches. The bartender runs out and tells them they are not allowed back there again. I watch far on the other side of the road as the taxis whisk by. The two men settle down and walk away from each other.

Finally, I arrive at my doorstep, greeted by my lovely cats who eagerly awaited my arrival. I turn on the TV and switch to NBC, I have exactly 15 minutes before the new episode will start. I put some white toast in the toaster oven and sit on the couch and wait. As it begins to snow, the flakes pile up on the windowpane as it quietly begins to snow.

Suddenly, I wake up to the smell of smoke and frantic cries from my cats. I panic, but slowly calm down when I realize its just my toast, that is now burnt black since I forgot about it. Luckily, I woke up right before Golden Girls starts, all is well.

I decide to pass on the toast and opt for tea instead. Sitting back in my chair, I begin to hum along to the Golden Girls theme song. Mr. Whiskers is now pawing at my sock. What could it possibly be now. As I look down at my feet where Mr. Whiskers has sat, I am greeted by not one but two huge dead rats. Although I feel slightly bad for the rats, I thank Mr. Whiskers for the gift and proceed to dispose of them outside.

I quickly run back upstairs to the TV. I am relieved that I have only missed the first 3 minutes of the new episode and it is now on commercials. Looking at my tea I realise earl grey might not cut it and I pour myself a glass of gin and look back on the whole day.