I'm really bored

I'm really bored.

For 6 years now, I've been following the same routine every day; Get up, get dressed, look in the mirror, feel ugly, eat leftovers from last night's TV dinner, and shuffle out the door to take the train to my job.

The train is the only part of my day that is interesting, because on the train, you never know what you're going to see.

When you get on the train, you might see a lady covered from head to foot in her burqa with only a pair of fierce beautiful eyes, staring straight at you the whole time. You're relieved when she gets off at the next stop.

On your next stop, a 6'7 man with a green beard and pink wig will float on in a beautiful floral skirt. He'll be on the phone talking to a friend or loved one, laughing much louder than necessary, and then, on the next stop he'll float off as quickly as he floated on. As he leaves, he'll shoot you a strange look and you'll think about how you'll probably never see this guy again, and that will make you think about how ephemeral and meaningless life can be.

Your second to last stop will be a little uncomfortable. A pair of passionate lovers walks on to the train. They are young, in the prime of their lives. They smile with the exuberant sweetness known only to young couples, but when they see you, their joy will seem to dim.

As you side-eye them, you'll suddenly feel sad. If you're anything like me, you'll remember when you were younger, and you were in love. You'll think about the various crushes you had when you were a teenager that of course never became anything because you were nothing but a pepperoni-faced nerd who desperately wanted to be cool, and to you, they were kings and queens upon a throne.

But... If you're really anything like me, now that you're older, you'll realize that they had issues just like you. They were the subject of a bad custody battle. They thought they were ugly just like you did. They cried every night because their father was killed in combat in and they found out that he had an entire different family in another state.

But I diverge...

At the next stop, The lovers slip off. without you ever noticing them leaving. You don't notice them leaving because you can't believe what you're looking at. It's a lady with no legs in a wheelchair with 3 pitbulls.

When she looks up at you she'll smile a warm, toothless smile and roll over to you. She'll ask you "When are you coming to pick me up, friend?"

If you're like me, you'll just smile a sweet, very toothy smile and turn away. She'll roll away then, seemingly satisfied by your wordless reply.

This is my stop. Calvary Cemetery, Queens, New York, New York. I head off to my dreary job and pray that time passes quickly.

I go to my desk and sit down, and I look through my files for the lady with no legs and 3 pitbulls.

I smile to myself. She'll be coming in 3 weeks.

And then I look through my files for you, The Reader. I find you. You'll be visiting me soon. Maybe tomorrow morning as you drink your morning coffee.

Or maybe I'll come for you in 4 weeks, just as you put the last beads into your daughter's braids.

When I come, you'll know why I'm here. You'll see me, but nobody else will. You'll be terrified at first. You will think of all the loved ones and friends you're gonna miss. You'll beg me for more time, and I will look at you, and I will say "Come on now, my favorite TV movie is coming on at 5 and I wanna see the opening credits. Let's go"

Even Death watches TV.

The End.