ICU

Closeness has nothing to do with distance

The Blackberry ad yells at me from across the streets, a billboard so huge no one could ignore its message. I need no longer touch you, to know that you are in my world. I scoff at the message, of course, such blatant propaganda.

But when I sit at my computer, and a recently (automatically) refreshed page reveals that you are talking to the universe, the cyberverse, at this very instant, too, the feeling creeps up my spine that maybe they have a point. That I am a little closer to you now, as we both stare at our individual screens, as we both try to speak to the electronic galaxy and pray for resonance.

I know you are just down the street. You are a world away. You are right here, on my crumpled sheets and in my unevenly air conditioned air. I can't touch you. But you can move me.

The only difference is, when I turn off my computer, all I feel is cool air over my restless skin. And distance, has nothing to do with how far away you are.