"After So Many Years"
Meeting at a coffee house was so typical, but I knew my Starbuck's well and the baristas wouldn't let anything happen to me, so I met him there.
I was scared to death!
The first time we were to meet, I became so stressed that I picked up the flu! This time, years later, I was okay, so far.
Arriving early, I found the most comfortable chair and best view and waited for him. He would be on time, I surmised and we would sip coffee and be civil, but from there, I didn't know.
Young couples, soccer moms, businessmen and caffeine addicts came and went. No sign of him yet and five minutes had passed.
Whew! He wasn't coming! Good, I would wait just a few more minutes, grab my coffee and go shopping at Southpark Mall. I relaxed.
A middle aged man approached the table. "Are you Rosie?"
I looked up into a face, quite a bit younger than mine. "I am Rosie. Did Stan send you? Is he ill?" I was concerned now.
"I am Stan."
"But, you aren't 60ish!" I was a little stunned.
"May I sit and explain?" I nodded.
"I am not 60ish, but more like close to 50ish. Is it really a problem?"
I shrugged, not trusting myself to speak yet. I cleared my throat though, "I guess not. We are just having coffee." I smiled a small smile.
He smiled a big smile. "You are so you! I would have known you anywhere knowing to subtract from your description of yourself or add sometimes."
"What do you mean?" I frowned. What Had I said? I was rather self-deprecating at times, well a lot...
"Let me see if I can recall... 'old, disabled, plump, funny, smart, set in your ways', right?"
I nodded. "Close, pretty close. I feel I have a lot to offer from my mind, but the bod is kinda gone." I chuckled. "and I have no money, so don't think I am some rich old woman looking to support some man!" I put my nose in the air.
He laughed. "I knew you would be just like this!"
I frowned and smirked at the same time, kind of hard to do... "Hm, is that good or bad?"
"Good! Good. I have known you for years, but you would never acknowledge me."
"Me? Not acknowledge you? You are young and good looking! I probably figured you were looking through me or past me. How have you known me for years? Where?"
"Think of the places you frequent."
I thought: Walgreens, Harris Teeter, Starbucks... I paused. He was the Starbucks manager! This was his store! I was so embarrassed!
"This is your store!" I shook my head. He smiled.
"Yes and I have been seeing you around for over a decade. We have exchanged a few words, but that is it. You seemed always to be in a hurry."
"And I thought you were the one in a hurry, or that I was an inconvenience since you were so busy."
"So we both misunderstood."
I nodded. "Yes, it seems we did." I twirled a curl of my hair and then stopped suddenly. How old was I? 15? Sheesh! I folded my hands in my lap after that. I was nervous. "I remember thinking you were interested in me when you began here, but you treated everyone the same, so I figured it was part of you method to make the customers feel at home."
"Partly, yes. One woman kind of fell in love though. Do you remember seeing her at the counter all the time?"
"Oh yes and that is actually when I backed off."
"I thought it might have been. You were scarce for awhile and I don't think we made contact after that, until now, that is."
"Yeah, even at my age, one can still feel the sting of a flirt gone wrong or wasted." I smiled with a melancholy I hadn't thought of in years. He patted my hand and let it linger. I couldn't look up, but did look at his hand.
"I always felt you were very cool, Wee ta;led about the same music and events from the past and I figured we may still have stuff in common. What do you think?" He looked shy suddenly.
"Well, I am not a pig in a poke, so you see what you would be getting, so to speak. You tell me. I can';t sit on the ground anymore, dance until dawn or even run around town often. What would that be like for you?"
"Perfect."
"Why perfect?"
"I am tired of all the crap out there in every way. I would like a female friend whom I can have dinner with, cook with or for, watch a movie, surf the net, listen to music and go out once in awhile. What do you think?"
"Well, we could give it a try. How will you introduce me if you run into a friend? i will not be hidden or lied about."
"Which do you prefer; lady friend or girlfriend?"
I smiled. This would be interesting.
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