-
- t
h e d i n e r
- by
Byron KH Siemsen
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- It had been a long time since
I had been there, a long time from the youthful dreams and the
freshness of life that used to inhabit the tiny cafe'. The jukebox
that had once met the patron with a glowing greeting as they
entered the door now stood sandwiched between two cigarette machines
by the Boy's bathroom and played songs that seemed sadder, more
weary than I had remembered them.
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- Perhaps there were too many
miles that had passed under my feet. Too many miles to make worthwhile
the few extra steps it took to enter a place that would offer
no comfort in reminiscence, but only the regret of ever having
left through its doors in the first place.
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- I last saw her here--how
young and beautiful her face.
- I used to close my eyes to
think of her, to remember her smile. However, as time passed,
I could picture her easily with my eyes open. Her smile comforted
me when life was tired. I picture her now.
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- "How are we doing, Sir?
Are you ready?", asked a polite voice.
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- I looked up. A young lady
stood with her pencil and pad at the ready.
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- "I'll have a coffee.
Black, please.", I said turning to stare again out the window.
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- "Thank you," she
said leaving me to think again.
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- Late one afternoon,long ago,
I had stood outside her window. Across the sill were arranged
bottles of perfume and soon she, in her delightful way, wondered
if I would care to see what they smelled like. Spraying perfume
through the screen for me to sample, I judged each. "Too
sweet", I told her for one; "Wonderful", for another.
But she needed no perfume.
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- And she smiled.
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- A gentle brush of the wind
as the cafe' door swung open interrupted my thoughts.
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- I glanced as the curious
do.
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- There she stood!
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- I jumped out of my seat with
such quickness betraying the swirling emotions which prevented
me from finding words to say. Words so often rehearsed, but now
mute.
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- Then it seemed so very quiet...
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- She slowly walked toward
me--her beauty had not changed.
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- She softly spoke, "I
knew after all these years I would find you here...at Carl's
Jr.".
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- And then...
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- she smiled.
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- contact
Byron Siemsen at siemsen@siemsen.com