Acid Test

Rachel frowned. “Hmmm, Charley have you been feeling ok? I mean, you don’t call for months and then…Well I just want to make sure you are taking care of yourself.”

I wasn’t concentrating hard enough. I needed the proper motivation.

“Alright, see that machine?” I pointed two buildings down from the lady with the purple hat.

“God,” She said. “How did I not see that before? Or _hear_ it?” She stared at the crane with its wrecking ball in the apogee of its backswing, ready to demolish the old bookstore.

I sprinted across the street.

“Charley wait! Come back!” She called after me hysterically.

I darted over the yellow construction zone tape and placed myself up against the wall directly in the soaring object’s trajectory.

“It’s ok Rachel!” I called out “I can stop it before it hi--”