Love with a Stranger

 Tess Duncan

The strangest thing happened. 

I was walking across to my car at the supermarket and a woman was running to me. She was laughing, joyous and heading straight for me as though I were a loved and cherished friend.  I looked again. Yes it was me she was running to. But I didn’t know her. Did I? 

The smile was genuine and the delight obvious and unconstrained. 

I unlocked my car and she ran to me as though I were her destination. She likes me, who is she? How could I forget someone who loves me so well? 

At the driver’s door of my car, she turned and we were close. I was overwhelmed. I knew I knew her not and yet I knew her happiness. What did it have to do with me? 

Producing keys of her own, she unlocked the car next to mine. “I just got it today. I love it.” What else to do but put out my arms and we embraced in celebration as two lovers well attuned.

 Then she laughed again, not at my hug but at the wonder of the world and drove away.