Proofread my love letter
Bakersfield, California. 105 degrees, and I am waiting for the 2 to show. At the bus stop is a guy who, for whatever reason, is wearing a heavy flannel shirt. Out of nowhere, he asks, “Can I ask you what your opinion of this is?” I didn’t really say yes or no, and had no idea what he was referring to. As we board the bus, he proceeds to tell me that he has written a love note to his fiancee, and he is unsure whether he should give it to her or not.
I ask some light probing questions, and it is eventually revealed that he had just gotten out of jail…for beating her up. He maintans that it was an act of retaliation after she pummeled him in the groin. While he was in jail, she married someone else who evidently had enough money to not have to ride the bus. It becomes clear to me that this guy is rather delusional, but I continue to hear him out. He is basically convinced that she still wants to be with him, even though he casually mentions that she won’t talk to him.
Then he asks me to proofread his letter. This was mildly heartwrenching. It had the tone, innocence, and grammatical aptitude of a first grader. My initial instinct was to offer some spelling and grammar corrections, but my logical mind concluded this would probably be in vain, as no matter how polished up his childlike plea for reconciliation might be, it was obvious it would be to no avail. The bus conveniently arrived at my destination at this point, giving me an opportunity for an out from this awkward encounter.
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