I Stood By the Side of the Road

I stood by the side of the road, the sunlight glinting in the trees.

I saw a woman walking alone, and on the verge of tears.

I stopped and asked what was the matter.

“Just men. They’re all bastards.” She said, nearly crying.

I walked with her and she confessed that she was getting a divorce.

She’d found her husband in bed with his secretary.

I had been carrying an old and battered copy of a book.

“I think this is for you.” I said, and gave it to her.

“I love this one.” She said. “Mr. Darcy is a real gentleman.”

I agreed, and stopped. I asked her if she’d ever wished to meet him.

She admitted yes, but regretted that no such men were in the world.

And then I made my offer.

Her eyes went wide with disbelief, at first.

But she eventually said yes,

and was gone.

I put the book away, and waited for someone else to come up the road.

I still had stories full of heroes and true love,

and soon enough someone else would come along.