He turns the corner and under the dim streetlight sees the man and his parked car and the cherry of the cigarette bob into the darkness by the man’s side. A shiver passes through him as he passes the man and a moment later hears the car door clunk shut and he thinks about that freshly lit cigarette and knows that the man has just tossed it away. A few strides more and headlights cast his shadow onto the cold pavement before him which twists to his side as the car pulls from the curb and then passes him by. He feels sick as his pulse pushes against his neck. The car turns the corner and is gone but leaves his shredded nerves with a new live current that will stay unsettled for weeks.
Paddy Dobson
11th January 2023