Radio

Mark blinked in confusion when he flipped to his secondary radio channel in the car. He maintained two channels that were his main source of music, so that he could switch from one to the other when commercials or songs he didn't enjoy popped up, as well as a few extras for the rare occasion both of his other options failed him. But when the focus swapped over, the music was very clearly not the genre that he was expecting. He couldn't even understand the lyrics - he wasn't sure what language they were in, but it wasn't English.

When he came to a red light, he quickly pulled out his phone and did a quick search online. The station had evidently failed to upkeep its contract with the program he wanted, and had switched over to something vastly different. Mark growled in frustration as he hit the gas again with the green light, and began scanning through the channels, hoping to find a new replacement. He couldn't believe they had so drastically changed their programming - and without any warning, as well. It was rude how abrupt and unwarranted it was - not to mention, he couldn't imagine it would be good for their listener count.

He cycled through every station available a number of times, trying to find a new station to listen to, with little luck. He didn't linger long on stations playing ads. He knew that he might be passing up on something he would like, but he also knew that if he didn't find anything, he would just end up passing over them again when he cycled through everything again.

He stopped on a song he wouldn't have expected to. He was well familiar with the tune - he even knew most of the words - but, to be honest, he really didn't like it. It really was just not his kind of music. And yet, when he heard it, he couldn't help but stop. He was so familiar with it because his girlfriend loved the song, and always insisted on listening to it and cranking up the volume when it would come on. As much as he might not like it, he couldn't say no to her, and seeing her get so excited made him happy. It was worth the couple of minutes of music outside of his tastes.

She had moved away for school months ago, and they didn't get to see each other very often anymore because of it. Circumstances of late in particular had kept them apart for even longer than usual. The music hit him harder than he expected, touching his heart as it might were she sitting right beside him, cranking it up and starting to dance in her seat. Without even thinking, he turned the volume up just as she would, and he could hear her voice in his head singing along.

He didn't notice the tear forming in his eye until it slid down over his cheek. He wiped it away quickly, surprised that it had even come. A part of him was saddened, knowing that she wasn't sitting beside him as she should be. But another part was happy that he could at least be reminded of part of what it was like to have her there. Even as another tear rolled down, he smiled, and he heard the song out.