WHEN A FERRIS WHEEL BREAKS

The creaking and squeaking of the ferris wheel was giving Marri a headache and his disgusting loudmouth breathing wasn’t helping. Their date hasn’t been very fun. He has been dragging his feet, literally making that shuffling noise, all day. He has not bothered to attempt any games for prizes and always has a lame excuse as to why he can’t ride the fun rides. Now they are stuck on this broken ferris wheel and his breathing makes Marri consider if being on First48 would have a lasting effect on her life. His face is flat and cheeks too hard. His hair is shiny and oily after spending forever on it, doesn’t even look good. What did I even see in this squid of a man? Marri wondered to herself. He talks so loudly without saying anything worth anything. He is demanding and romantically stupid. How could I have ever loved such a stupid man? Her thoughts had her staring at him; her eyes burning with rage and hatred. She couldn’t wait to be off this ride and done with him.

Look at her sitting over there pouting because she didn’t get her way, again. Jonny would rather hear the creaky, squeaky ferris wheel than her grating vocal cords. All she ever did was criticize. She hated his walk, she hated how he talked, she probably hated knowing he breathes. Well, jokes on her, Jonny hates her just as much. He hates that she takes forever to get ready, which always makes them late. She always judged his cooking, saying it was to greasy but she can’t cook. He hated her cooking, it was bland and she always tried to feed him tofu. That stuff is only good if you cook it right, he thought. He hated how she laughed, she sounded like a cackling witch. She always laughed so hard at the reruns of Golden Girls and now he hates the show. He hated her just as much as she hated him. I wish I had never fallen in love with her. He stared at her, he was disappointed he ever gave her the time of day.

How did it get to this? They thought simultaneously. Their eyes locked on each other and they saw their relationship playing out in their minds, like a dying person seeing their life flash before their eyes. They used to laugh, until their stomachs cramped and their eyes watered. They could talk from sunup to sundown about any topic. They danced as if they were characters from Footloose. They loved each other. They cared for each other. Then someone, they don’t know who, stopped caring as much. Their love slowly faded into contempt and hatred. Neither of them can remember how or why it ended up this way. Nobody cheated or caused physical harm. Nobody trusted either. Communication became nonexistent. Misplaced anger, frustration, and insecurities created a rift, a deep dark chasm that separated them so much they couldn’t see each other from the other side. They could spend years trying to find a way across the chasm, a way back to each other, but how can you go back to a destination when you don’t know where it is? They could try, but time has a way of pushing people. Sometimes, time demands that you keep moving and find a different destination.

The ferris wheel never started moving. It was announced that the ride would be evacuated and the fire department was on its way. The pair didn’t speak. They didn’t flinch and they didn’t look away from each other. They watched as their relationship played in each other’s eyes. When they reached the end, they knew without a shadow of a doubt, they knew. It was done, over, finished. Their love was no more. They are each put into harnesses and slowly lowered to the ground. He came down first and stood waiting and watching as she came down. Jonny raised his arms, almost out of habit or instinct, and reached out to her. Marri reached out and grabbed onto him. When both of their feet were on the ground and they were unfastened from the harnesses, the pair turned around, back facing back. They walked in separate directions.

“The ferris wheel is closed. Please move on to other rides.” The ride operator announced.