Friday, February 02, 2007

Red Light Day!

Your boyfriend left a week and a half ago. He left in the middle of the day while you were at work. All he took was one small bag of clothes and his car. The note was brief and heartbreaking.

I'm sorry.
I thought I could do this but I can't.
It's best to just forget about me.


You didn't detect that there was anything wrong in the slightest. In fact, you and he had never been happier. His leaving came so far out of left field, you can't help but assume that a massive lie had been told. He has a wife. He's a fugitive. He's gay. Something.

Today the truth will arrive in the form of a black and white photo. He'll receive a letter from the department of transportation. You'll open it and find a traffic ticket for running a red signal. The violation will have been caught by one of the automated traffic cameras that have been installed at so many intersections. The citation will include four photos of his car crossing into an intersection. The date will be the day that he left.

You'll look closely at the photos creating the stop-motion movie of your boyfriend driving away from you forever. The first photo will be his car approaching the intersection. The second will have his car in the middle of the intersection. The third will be a closeup of his license plate. And the fourth will be a closeup through the windshield of the car. You'll be able to recognize your boyfriend behind the wheel just as clearly as you'll be able to recognize his ex-girlfriend sitting in the passenger seat next to him. Far less recognizable will be what you believe is a gun held in her hand, aimed at your boyfriend's side.

Go to the police and report the kidnapping. Bring the ex's old letters which tell how she can't tolerate knowing he's moved on. He never showed them to you, but luckily you were insecure and went snooping. The police will brush you off, telling you that it could just as well be a cup of Starbucks in her hand and you're just indulging in some wishful thinking. It's going to be up to you to rescue him from his ex.

You're certain that that's a gun in her hand in that photo. You're absolutely sure your boyfriend was kidnapped by his ex. You just better hope you're right, or else this could be really embarrassing.

Happy Red Light Day!