Dark Thoughts

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I was having lunch today when someone just dropped off his things (a bagful of sugar) near the door of the diner where I was eating, then went back out to the street, about five meters away from where he left his things, and talked animatedly to someone. I’m a regular at this diner, and I haven’t seen him before, so for some reason, a troubling thought hit me: “what if his stuff contained a bomb?”

The logical part of me thought it couldn’t be, because it just isn’t normal for a criminal to stay close to the bomb when he has every opportunity to leave. But then the other part of me pointed out that there are a lot of suicide bombers, and he could be one. There were other arguments that volleyed back and forth in my mind, that soon I saw blood — my blood — splattered everywhere, my body parts flying as far as the other side of the road, my face unrecognizable. Before that I heard a big explosion followed by loud screams, then I saw blackness, and then there was nothing.

I couldn’t say know how much time had elapsed before I started hearing voices, at first indistinct, until slowly I was able to understand some words.

“Did you see her? She was just here before the bomb went off!”

“Really?”

“Yeah, she was eating alone. And now, she’s nothing. Just a finger left!”

“Ow, poor girl!”

At first I did not understand what they were talking about, until I realized what it was. They were talking about me!

Abruptly I stopped eating and handed the server a hundred-peso bill.

“Oh, you’re done? You almost had not touched your food! Didn’t you like it?” The elderly woman who had become a friend of sort, asked as she reached for the bill.

“It’s fine, Manang. I’m just full.” I replied.

“Okay,” she said and walked back in to get some change. As I was waiting for her, the man came back for his things. Without a word, he picked them up then walked off. I started to relax. But it was too late. My imagination had gone too far, and my appetite had been lost.

Ah, darn imagination! Damn dark thoughts!