Balance

Balance

            For a long time Martin Sprock stared out across the cityscape lit by a multitude of lights as if they were the reflections of the star-filled sky. Martin was a real estate agent in upper west side Manhattan and he specialized in leasing high priced rental properties with panoramic views of New York City skylines. He was standing on the balcony of one such property now, glass of champagne in hand taking in the view quietly reciting his pitch in undertones. A party was going on two floors below him, the sounds of the laughter and jazz filtering up to him as he stood above it.

            Martin was a good man by most accounts, he thought himself as mostly honest- only lying when the truth was not sufficient or strong enough to make a sale. He hardly ever used flattery or chicanery to sell his leases to clients. He had been mostly successful but had never married and often failed to keep up his relationships beyond a couple of months. He wanted to live well, but a strong Irish Catholic upbringing had made him miserly so he spent very little beyond his most basic needs and banked the rest.

            Martin Sprock brushed his teeth twice a day, flossed between meals, swallowed a handful of vitamins down with decaffeinated coffee each morning before walking over from his studio apartment on the lower east side to the world of his work each morning. He was perhaps the most understated agent in town and ironically the best. He had a way of letting the apartments sell and lease themselves. It was as if he could get the apartments to talk through him though he said little to nothing and the clients would eat it right up like a kitten to a bowl of warm milk.

            Yet here he was on top of the world as he knew it but alone standing on a precipice of his own doom. Martin Sprock had come here not to celebrate his success but rather to end it. He stared in reverie at this city he worshipped and glorified in his own way, then back at the unforgiving stars that had seen fit to make his life meaningless. His tears burned his eyes as he got ready to jump over the balcony rail and down to the unfeeling concrete below.

            “Are you going to jump or not?”

            At first Martin Sprock was sure he had imagined the woman’s voice, but her presence was with him as he gripped the rail. He turned around guiltily like a boy caught with his hand in the till to look for her. She stood casually against the wall next to the French doors he had opened for this occasion.

            “Well?” She repeated, one eyebrow raised on her smooth tan face, her straight black bangs blowing gently over her nose and eyes. She was at once dark and mysterious and perhaps the most beautiful woman Martin Sprock had ever seen.

            He stared at her dumbfounded to be confronted by this vision of beauty at his moment of utmost despair. He forgot his drink was still in his hand as pointed it at her.

            “Who- how did you get in here?” he sputtered out

            “Who or how, I will only answer one of those questions.” She replied calmly crossing her slender arms. He saw that she wore a black turtleneck shirt and black pants.

            “What?” He uttered in confusion..

            “Another question Martin?” She replied as if taunting him, perhaps she was. “Just choose one and I will answer that.”

            Martin sat down at the base of the balcony in a thump as his drink sloshed out over his hand and down his sleeve. He looked at her in bafflement then at the drink before tossing it aside. The glass shattered as it hit the pavement of the balcony, the liquid splashing out in a brilliant arc. Martin Sprock noticing how it caught the lights of the city as it fell. Like rain he thought in wonder that things had never seemed to real until a moment ago when- when the woman had spoke. His eyes snapped back to where she had been standing but she was not there. He sighed heavily and leaned his head back against the rail.

            “You know they say that you see details you would have never noticed before when you are about to die.”

            Martin’s eyes popped open and his head swung around wildly as he searched for the speaker. She was standing further down the rail looking out across the city. Her rich chocolate hands on top of the stone her body slightly arching. Her feature smooth contours and fitting her clothes tightly as her body pressed against the fabric. He could almost smell the cinnamon if her perfume and see the rouge on her cheeks.

            “Are you going to die soon Martin?” She asked him without looking over.

            “Who are you? How did you-.“  He stopped mid-sentence as she turned towards him and raised her finger to her lips.

            “Only one question Martin, only one will I answer, nothing more- so choose wisely.” She smiled, a knowing look heating her gaze as she looked over at him.

            Martin Sprock opened his mouth and closed it again several times as the mysterious woman continued to smile at him with her dark amber eyes. Finally, not being able to take his confusion anymore he chose one question and closed his eyes again.

            “Am I going to die?”

            “Yes.”

            “What?” His eyes popped open again. “That’s it? Not some cryptic message, some veiled threat, some last chance?”

            “You didn’t ask for any such thing like that.”

            “That’s Bull- that’s crazy.” He had begun to gasp for air.

            She laughed a soft chuckle and walked back to where she had stood before opposite him. She squatted down to his level against the wall and gazed over at him.

            “You are going to die.” She said it with a finality that left nothing to doubt.

            “But how do you know that, how can you possibly know such a thing?”

            “It’s not all that hard, Martin. Everybody dies.” She ended with a smile.

            Martin sat for a long moment in silence before the truth of what she said hit him like a loose branch in the woods. At first he gaped then he coughed and slowly he laughed shaking his head. His laughter continued until it was almost a sob and he cut himself short.

            “You…. You had me going there for a bit.” He wagged his finger at her.

            “I did.” She replied curtly but her mirth did not reach her eyes. It stopped him mid-thought and mid-finger-shake.

            “What are you not telling me?”

            “You are all questions tonight and no answers, Martin.” She spoke softly, she raised an eyebrow and then spoke again. “Perhaps that is why you find yourself standing on the balcony of this building preparing to leap into the great beyond because you ask questions that you don’t really want answers to.”

            Martin stared in shock at her soft reply, finding himself speechless for the first time that night. Had he not just toasted the latest sale to the happy couple downstairs? Had he not just flirted with the blonde at the bar, unsuccessfully? Had he not come up here in dejection only to realize the futility if his worthless existence? His wonderings found an answer and as it dawned on him, Martin could see that the woman could see it as well.

            “I am still going to jump.”

            “Never expected you not too.”

            “Oh.”

            “Well?”

            “Well what?”

            “Are you going to jump or not?”

            “Right.” He said as he forced his body up and climbed onto the railing. Then he stopped and looked back at the woman who stood half in shadow. He balanced there precariously.

            “You want to jump with me?” He asked half hoping she would, half praying she would not.

            “I already have.” She said fading into the night.

            It was then Martin Sprock lost his balance.