the quiet after

He left this morning. Cha. Four hours early.

I knew before anyone told me. You can feel it when a room goes empty like that.

His helper left a brown paper thing at the desk. It said To Whom It May Concern. Aigoo, I wanted to open it.

By lunch my boss had her copy too.

At five I walked past 2104. The door was open. The cleaners were inside.

The little lavender bags were still in the closet. Nobody touched them.

A room that was a whole story for three weeks. Now it is just a room.

Not the big end. The quiet after. That is the part that gets me.

I stood there too long. The cleaner looked at me.

I was sad it was over. It was not even my story.

But I watched it. Every shift. I knew his coffee order. I knew when his light was on.

Now I just walk past a door.

Maybe that is my whole life. I just watch other people's things.

Jinjja. I should not write that. But it is true.