Flashing Yellow

“Flashing yellow?”

For years I never understood why Mickey would ask either, “Flashing yellow?” or “Flashing red?” every time we went through an intersection with either. I would always say yes, no, or whatever it really was. I made my assumptions, and figured he was just slow to react or wanted backup when he saw something late.

“Is it a flashing yellow?”

The night Mickey purposed he was wearing what he normally wore to work, nice black jeans, a fairly casual black pinstripe blazer, and a nice button down shirt which today was red. I teased him because his purple tie was clashing really hard. “What do you mean? My tie is blue.” Oh sweetie you must have grabbed the wrong tie.

“Is this a flashing yellow or a flashing red?”

The next afternoon we spent calling everyone in both families, and all of our friends. We didn’t have a date or anything but we were excited. No one was surprised. Mickey and I are one of the few couples that have been together for ever. We got together the summer before our junior year so I guess we could be called highschool sweethearts. We stayed together while I went to art school, and he went to college. Time went on and I found myself with a degree in art, painting I guess, and found himself with an Associates degree in business and later the title of regional manager a chain carpet store. We were always comfortable and happy, we never doubted our relationship for a second. His mother cried out, ‘Mitchell! Alexandra! I always knew I always knew!’ when we told her. I guess she always knew.

“Alex?”

We were going to go out drinking the night we told everyone. I put on my black dress, and some white heels. Mickey? “Yeah?” Can you go grab me my white pearl necklace? (I don't know nor really care if either of my pearl necklaces are real pearl, but they are both beautiful). Mickey turned back to me holding what was clearly my pink pearls. Mickey, the white ones. He looked down confused. “Arent they both white?” Mickey you bought them, shouldn’t you know I have a pink set and a white set? “Hm. Could of sworn I bought two white necklaces.” I reached my neck up and kissed his cheek, Dork.

“Should I yield or stop?”

I started hearing his questions as I was waking up. It was the morning after our night out. Neither of us had drank very much but being out late isnt a thing I normally do so I was tired the next day. We were driving to go see his mother for brunch. I had dozed off.

“Alex!?”

He was growing more frantic by the time I was even alive enough to look around. Unable to even see a light I announced what he should do to be safe, “Just stop.”

I felt him actually hit the brakes but it wasn't enough. He had waited too long to choose and now he was too late to stop. Conveniently coming perpendicular was someone who was either unaware or disregardful of basic traffic laws. The car didn’t us exactly in the middle but luckily only hit our nose. We were both going a little under forty five so it was a hard hit. T-bone style, our seatbelts didn’t lock so Mickey and I both got pushed hard to the left, but we both remained seated. My cell phone that was in my hand flew out and hit Mickey in the face. Both cars stopped immediately.

I looked at Mickey. The other driver got out, I could hear him asking if we were ok. Mickey looked back at me, “Are you ok?” Yeah I am. Are you? “Yeah I am.” The other driver was standing outside our window while we both just took a minute to consider our luck. I ran through the last few moments in my head. I calculated why we were where we were. I traced back every little detail and considered other moments with Mickey and it all hit me at once.

“Mickey. You are colorblind.”