I am an introvert
which means most days
I wouldn’t have told her
about the leaves in her hair
not because introverts don’t care
about the perils of a windy day
and helping a woman in an elevator
who was obviously on her way
somewhere fancy
but because introverts
want to preserve the quiet
as long as possible
before their hearts
start blaring again
you see I knew
I would care too much
after I picked out the leaves myself
and she laughed
a tinny laugh
trust me to screw this up
and then the elevator door opened
swallowing her morsel of life
chained to my memory
torture for a writer
who will never get
to find out the end.