Falling

A Slip of the Heart

"I fell on ice today."

"Yeah? So what?"

"It hurt."

"Yeah, it usually does. People fall all the time around here."

"Good thing I found a bandage."

"Yeah, when you live around here, that's to be expected."

"Seven months of winter?"

"Yeah, seven months of winter. Ice, snow, sleet, freezing temps."

"Oh?"

"Oh? If you don't like it, why are you living here?"

"Well, it's a long story."

"I have time."

"Because I fell in love."

"You must really be in love."

"I guess I must. I fell really hard for her back then. And again today. Ouch."

A story by Pemba Umoja