You

The street was alive this morning.  Red lanterns were strung across the streets and rose towards the clouds with the morning breeze. Neon signs written with Chinese characters lined the street.

Shop windows displayed lucky cats alongside food items, herbal medicine, tea shops and odds and ends. 

The food stalls were busy.  People spoke in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.  Dim Sum breakfast yelled a man.  The fragrant steam from his vendor cart followed her.  Looks good, smells great Ana laughed and told the man.  But not today, I have to get to work.  Ok, pretty the vendor laughed.  You come back later and I’ll take you to dinner.  They both laughed and Ana hurried towards her train. 

The 7 train was up the block.  As Ana went down the subway stairs, the air changed. The air was heavy and hot.  The fluorescent lighting flickered and hummed.

The morning rush was busy.  Commuters hurried past clutching totes and Stanley Travel Cups.  No one looked at anyone else.  Faces blank and eyes down, they hurried to their trains.

Hey, Hey, where are you going? She heard a loud voice behind her.   Anna turned around and saw a tall man running across the train platform towards her.  Kendal, where are you going? He seemed familiar, he got closer and Anna stared into his face.

He was handsome. Chiseled cheek bones, expressive green eyes and his brown hair was tasseled from running. Kendal, he said in a warm voice and reached towards her hand.  His smile showed kindness and his face glowed with warmth.

Anna stepped back. For a moment she thought she recognized him.  Did she know him?   She peered into his eyes. I’m sorry, I’m not Kendal.   Before she could say a word he pulled her towards him and she melted against him.  He took her face in his hands to kiss her.

The phone alarm sounded, beep, beep, beep.  Anna shook herself awake.  Where am I, she thought.  She looked around the room and all of the items in her room were perfectly placed. Her clothes were out for her to start the day.

She thought about her dream. It seemed so real. She had been having the same dream lately. Where did these dreams come from? She had talked to her friend Silvi about them. 

Silvi had asked if she believed in reincarnation. Hey, maybe these are memories coming back from another life. Silvi explained, people see reincarnation as a spiritual belief.

We are energy Silvi said.  Energy can travel through time and space.  We are souls in a physical body. Ana considered what she said, that consciousness continues beyond one lifetime. 

I guess this could be true Ana thought.  Maybe this life is just a continuation of the last. She smiled to herself, life really is a highway! Well, so far so good she thought.

Anna looked at the clock. She had to get going. She had to be at work soon. Ana lived in Flushing, Queens.  Anna felt happy today. She looked forward to the day. She loved working as a stylist in Manhattan. At twenty eight years old she felt that life was just getting started.

She put her feet on the floor to get out of bed. She walked to the bathroom and took a shower. She got out and brushed her long brown hair, put her makeup on and got ready.

The Keurig made a humming sound as she made her coffee. She put the lid on her Stanley and headed out to work.

The markets were already busy. Men and women haggling over the price of fish and vegetables at stalls.  

As Anna walked past a dim sum vendor, he yelled at Ana, what about today?   You want to try some.  Anna smiled and waved at him.  No, but remember you owe me dinner. What he scratched his head, you crazy lady, crazy lady he shouted.   Anna laughed and hurried on towards her train.   

The fluorescent lights flickered.  The rumble of trains in and out of the station and screeching of train wheels on the tracks greeted her.   A saxophonist played on the platform.   His case opened in front of him, dollars and coins inside of it.  The notes of the song A million years rose from the opening of his sax.  The player swayed back and forth dancing to the music.

Another commuter stepped close to the saxophonist and started to sing.  Ana recognized the song, it was the Christina Perri song 1000 years.  The commuter sang:

… I have died every day waiting for you

Darling, don’t be afraid

I have loved you for a thousand years

I’ll love you for a thousand more

… Time stands still

Beauty in all she is

I will be brave

I will not let anything take away

What’s standing in front of me

Every breath, every hour has come to this

… One step closer

The crowd on the platform waiting for their trains burst into applause. There are shouts of “you go girl” and “you get them” as they cheer for the singer. The commuter waved at everyone as a train rumbles into the station. Everyone looks up to see if it’s their train.

Ana steps back to let the crowd board. Her train should be next, she thinks.  She turns around and notices a homeless man reaching into a garbage can.  He pulls out a half eaten sandwich and takes a bite. He turns to look at her.  In a moment, there is a feeling of déjà vu.   Kendal he says.  He steps towards her.   

The man has layers of mismatched clothing on.  His overcoat is tattered.  His pants are too long for him and he trips over them as he walks toward her.  Dirty white sneakers peep out from under the long pants.  He is unshaven and his skin is weather beaten and wrinkled.  His eyes, they are the piercing green eyes that she remembers from her dream.  They tell of memories and stories from another time.   

Kendal he said,  it’s me.  He stumbled towards Anna with the half eaten sandwich in his hand.  He is grasping at air and moving towards her.  He is coming for her. Anna backs away, I don’t know you she says.  He moves towards her again and she backs away.  

Kendal don’t say that!  He lunges toward her and grabs her arm. I love you, Kendal. NYPD someone shouted, two officers appear, they grab the man from behind and pull him away. Miss,  miss are you OK?   Do you know this man?  One of the officers holds the mans arms in back of him.  His back is arched as he leans to get away.   He pulls in the direction of Anna.   Before she can speak, the man screams, I love her, I’ve known her forever.