I was meeting a friend at a clinic to take her home after terminating an unwanted pregnancy. The waiting area was pretty full when I arrived so it took me a moment to find my friend. I finally spotted her and took a seat beside her.

I then tried to entertain her with zany antics so as to take away from the horror of our surroundings. I was in the middle of Act I when I looked up and noticed a man sitting no more than two feet from us.  I thought he was pretty cute and there was something familiar about him. After another second I realized it was someone I used to date. He looked up at just that moment and we made eye contact. AWKWARD. We said hello but not much else.

He was obviously there having impregnated someone and was waiting for her to return from the procedure. I thanked God that I wasn’t there for my own appointment. Soon my friend’s name was called and we were left with the uncomfortable task of sitting there, practically next to each other.  Pleasant conversation was altogether impossible; we tried to avoid eye contact. Soon I busied myself with a book and nodded off.  When I awoke, much to my relief he had left.

$@bs