Last words..

sitting across from him on the train I first noticed his disheveled hair
I avoided gazing in his direction should he try and seize eye contact
peripherals baited my focus as I noticed the book he was holding was nearly four inches thick
four inches thick
at 200 pages per inch this literary treat must be worth at least 800 pages
I felt sheepish flipping through my advertisement sodden magazine
I noticed my greasy friend was a few pages from finishing this dictionary tantamount
I feigned interest in my inept text keeping an eye on the progress of my cross isle companion
what would happen as he read the last words
elephants would trot down the corridor while ballerinas danced on their backs
fire breathers following closely behind carried by albino gorillas
relishing the monumental accomplishment the reader would jump on his seat and yodel with satisfaction

he turned his last page
there must not be more than a few paragraphs now

I read a few lines of my own frivolous text trying to determine his pace
if he read slightly slower than me he would finish in no more than three minutes
sitting at a right angle mouth agape in anticipation of the final moments of a long and tiresome effort
then he reached into his coat
A TEXT MESSAGE
how can you stop in the final words to check a message
low be the day the marathoner stop ten yards from the finish line to check his stocks
thumbs twirl in response
the marathoner, stocks evaluated, ambles to the sidelines to sign autographs and kiss a baby
I nearly leap from my seat and slap the reader back to focus
nary missing my assault he pockets his phone
eyes continue lateral scans consuming letter by letter
letter by letter
letter by letter
how many letters are on this last page
at his pace I guessed this book was gifted to him on his birthday
three years ago
finally his eyes no longer moved horizontally
it was done
here come the elephants
he tossed the book on the seat by his side
and pulled out his cell phone