On my way to the subway yesterday I came across an old man and his cart. His cart was filled with various trinkets, the kinds of things that people accumulate during their lifetimes and then throw away only to be replaced by the newest state-of-the-art trinkets. But the trinkets collected by this man were far from new. These were the trinkets of days past - a typewriter, a tape deck, a myriad contraptions of various shapes and sizes - each one meticulously maintained and noticeably loved. How could anyone love these things? They're defunct, outdated. The iPhone - now that's a thing that someone could love - certainly not an old typewriter. But it was clear they were loved. Each one gleamed under the sun's rays and it seemed almost as if they were...smiling. I wanted to look up at the man and ask him about his possessions, but I didn't know what to ask. These things were both unremarkable and brilliant at the same time and my mind was trapped in the spectacle. I was a stone and only after I heard his voice did I return to flesh. When he spoke it seemed as though the space around him expanded and contracted with his words. He said, "they're beautiful, aren't they?" I was still dazed, unable to respond. Finally, I recovered from my stupor. "Why...yes...I guess. But surely you could have found something a bit less old, no?" The space expanded, "Time has no bearing on beauty." Finally, I broke my stare and repositioned my gaze to meet his. But, to my surprise, his head was missing. I don't mean that he had gone crazy or had fallen dumb. I mean what I say quite literally. He had no head. I quickly looked down as though his lack of head was an embarrassing facial defect. Then, summing up all remaining courage, I slowly began to take stock of his body. Feet, check. Legs, check. Torso, check. Arms, check. He had no head! At this point, most people would have removed themselves from the situation as quickly as possible. However, irrespective of the lacking appendage, he seemed somehow...complete. I moved in closer. Upon his shoulders I saw a black metal fence circumscribing a children's playground. The children laughed and played as parents watched on. Beyond the black peaks that capped the fence, I found trees and street signs, people and cars rushing by intent on covering the distance separating them from their intended destination as quickly as possible. "Beautiful, aren't they?", he inquired. I paused to consider what it is that the man could possibly be referring to. I rotated my head, stopping to gaze at the bodega across the street. Outside, the colors of the rainbow were represented in the form of various fruits and vegetables. A battered green canopy protected the wares from the elements and extended the facade of the market ever so slightly. A young couple stood outside arguing with each other. Again, I shifted my gaze to look at the headless man but, this time, saw another beside him looking oddly familiar. That jacket, those jeans...those are my clothes. That's my body. But my head had gone missing. In its place I saw the sky, the sun, the winter. Beyond them I saw sadness, laughter, happiness, things that had no name. I looked closer. I saw atoms floating through empty space, electrons jumping randomly from one place to another like overactive pets leashed to their owner. "Beautiful, aren't they?, he inquired. I stared out from space, from nothingness, from nowhere and everywhere at once. "Yes, they are", I said.
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