gustavo

his name was gustavo. he was a spaniard. a crazy spaniard. crazy because he was not crazy. he was quite charming actually.

i worked with gustavo when i was in college. well, not with him. i worked somewhere near his workspace.

and that’s really about it.

i liked gustavo because he was funny, because his short fine hair stuck straight out in all directions, because of his accent and his slightly hoarse young voice. he liked soccer and wore jerseys into lab sometimes. he had a funny frown, on the rare occasion he would frown. he was demonstrative when he talked and didn’t take himself too seriously. he had a good attitude, and it was fun to say his name out loud.

that’s all i can remember about him. probably because that is all i ever knew about him. that was back in the days when i was very well-hidden. no mutual affection ever grew between my other labmates and me. i just liked all of them in that “i’m glad they exist” sort of way. gustavo a little more because he was bright where the other two girls were dark.

i went to spain myself two years ago. yet i have not thought again of gustavo until tonight.

i wonder where he is, and what he’s waving his hands over his head about now.