Staying at school after dark is not a dish I like served often. I consider school a necessary evil, who's soul sucking mechanisms are better weathered in daylight. Tonight I started walking to my car at five minutes past ten. I won't lie and say I'm miserable, but it's chilly and the hairs on my arms stand on end and curse my choice of wardrobe. T-shirts are not for windy days. I have about a half mile walk to my car, who thanks to rampant overpopulation, had to be parked in the middle of nowhere. But enough griping, let's get to the story...Traffic lights in Santa Monica are programmed most pragmatically. They change only when absolutely necessary; only the activated side on any given pedestrian crosswalk will change. All this means that if you want to cross the street, you must press the button. I'm sure there are exceptions here and there but not now, not here. So I press the button.I hate those who have somehow convinced themselves that pressing the button repeatedly will speed up the process. I hate them expressly because I'm one of them. So I push the button over and over. It's way too cold. Finally it's green. The white walking man beckons me. I cross the street. Then the light goes out.When my foot hit the sidewalk pavement, the street light above me turns off. “Oh, don't like me, huh?” I say out loud. Then I remember I have to cross the street again, I'm on the wrong side. So I wait. Looking around, it seems abnormally dark.Turns green, walking man appears, and I cross the street. When my foot hits the sidewalk, the light across the street turns on.“Seriously?”I want to chalk it up to coincidence, but I'm having a weird day. I wait for it to turn green and walk back across the street. This time I make it onto the sidewalk before the the light turns off.“Didn't think you'd see me so soon?”Enough nonsense. I cross the street again, this time quickly, as it really is cold. I feel foolish. I hop onto the sidewalk and can't help a glance back. Lights off.“What exactly... is your problem?”I stand there. I wait for somebody else to cross the street. I only wait a few minutes. A couple crosses the street and I'm envious of their raincoats. The light however, has no problem whatsoever and lights their way contently.“Alright. Here I come.”I cross the street, against red. I'm beyond that now. Fucking light. It's cold, you know. Fuming, I step onto the sidewalk, again. The light turns off.“I don't really know what happened between us. I though we had a good relationship going. I cross the street, you light it. We all have a part here...”“Is it because I pressed the button too much?”To my relief, the light stays silent.“I'm sorry. Whatever I did, I'm sorry. I'm gonna go home now. You think about it, I'll be back tomorrow. I truly am sorry.”I rub my hands against the cold and wait for the green light. I hesitate and take a deep breath. Here we go.I take a few steps tentatively.“I'm sorry I didn't say 'thank you'.”“Thank you.”I start on my way home. The light glows brightly behind me.