Moleskin

It was 4:30 in the afternoon, not dark yet, but the sun had lost its heat. I left the office early and went to the coffee shop around the corner. I had to clear my head. Also, it’s the only place in the city I could grab a bite for free. Jenna is the owner of the coffee shop and she treats me for the graphic and photography work I do for her on the side.

I was making a to-do list in my head for the weekend. I heard someone talking to me. I looked up, and it was a very well-dressed man in a classic hat holding his cup of drink and a small plate of pastry.

I looked around, and he was looking at me gently. “Excuse me?” I said.

“May I share the table with you?” he asked very politely and with a head gesture.

I didn’t hesitate, just nodded my head. He took a second, removed his hat, and overcoat, then he sat. He took a sip of his drink and pushed his pastry to the middle of the table.

I had lost my train of thought and I was trying to get back to my list; rent and food, but I had to make a doctor's appointment. I have been too tired with continuous headaches.

Again, I thought someone was talking to me. I looked at him, but he was busy reading his book. It was a black book with no titles or images. It was smaller than a regular book. Then I realized the girl at the next table was talking on her phone. I looked around the place, and I was the only one not staring at a screen or being on my phone. I didn’t even know if I had my phone on me. I let out a sigh then I realized he was looking at me. I gave him a half-smile and he went back to his book.

I was so curious to know what the book was and what was he reading? He took another sip of his drink. I took a sip of my own now cold coffee. It didn’t taste good anymore. I was still hungry. I looked at him a bit longer, but not to stare. He wasn’t old, maybe in his 40s. He was well dressed and he was very proper. He looked familiar. Now I was trying to figure out where I had seen him before. Maybe here at the coffee shop? I took my eyes away. I didn’t want to intrude.

He had another sip of his drink and looked at his watch. It was a really nice watch. Like the one, I’d always wished to have. A classic, leather band, and thin gold rim white face watch. He put on his hat, and grabbed his coat, had another sip of his drink, and left. I saw him walk to the curbside and his ride picked him up. I looked around, he’d left his pastry. I pulled the plate toward me and took a bite of the cookie. Then I saw it. He’d left his book. I waited a minute, I thought he’d come back for it.

He didn’t show up. I picked up the book. It was a black moleskin book and gold initials H.R. on the back. I flipped through the book and all of its pages were blank. I adjusted my glasses and flipped through it again, and it was still blank. What the heck was he reading then? I flipped through it one more time and there was a silkish thing string between the pages in one-third of the book. I opened the book to that page and there was a lightly handwritten note.

12:32 Christopher Station.

There was no date or anything else. I flipped through the book again and there was nothing. I finished the cookie and walked inside the coffee shop. I thought maybe Jenna would know the guy. But she said, “I’d never see him before.” I thanked her for the coffee and asked her “if the guy comes back for his book call me” and left.

It was too late to go back to the office, and I was too tired to go back staring at the screen. I walked home with the book. Set it on the sofa. I changed to my pajamas and got myself a drink and went straight to the sofa.

“What does 12:32 Christopher Station mean?” I got my phone to check the train schedule, but my phone was dead. I’d forgotten to charge it for the day. I closed the book and set it back on the sofa.

I couldn’t sleep. I watched the dark of night turn into the light of the day. It’s Saturday and I have things to take care of. I had barely enough milk for my breakfast cereal. I haven’t done grocery shopping for a couple of weeks. The fridge was empty, but the food was not on my mind. I kept looking at the book, it was still blank. I ate, cleaned up the place, showered, and got ready to leave the house, but it was just 11:30. I wondered if I would make it to the Christopher Station I’ll see the guy and give him the book back. But I was more curious to see him.

Finally, at 12 I threw the book in my bag and left the house. I walked through Washington Square Park and west on Washington Pl, Christopher Station was just a couple of blocks away. I still had 10 more minutes by the time I made it to the station. I browsed around, looking for him. He was medium built with short brown hair. He was not exactly good-looking, but he was charming and handsome. A man walked through with a hat, but he looked older than Mr. H.R. I kept looking around and I couldn’t see him. I checked the station clock and it said 12:29. The train was arriving in 3 minutes and still no hat.

The train arrived and I didn’t see him getting on the train nor getting off. I had only a minute to make a decision to get on the train or not. I looked around one more time and I jumped on right before the doors shut. I looked around and the cart was half full. Well, now what? Where do I get off? Where am I going? The train arrived at the first stop and I looked for the “Hat Man” and no sign of him. We got to the second stop and third and still nothing. Finally, At the fourth stop a gentleman with a hat got on the cart. He had the same hat as the “Hat man”, but it wasn’t him. I think he felt that I was staring at him. He looked up from his book, the same black book I had in my bag, and smiled and went back to his book. The next stop was coming up and he got up from his seat. I got up. I think I need to follow him.

We got off the train and it looked like he knew where he was going. He barely looked up and followed the crowd to the exit. I was a few people behind him and I was trying to catch up. I followed him up the stairs and to the exit to the streets. He walked out and I was right behind him, but when I got on the street he was gone. Where the heck did he go?

I was on 23st Street. Madison Square Park was just down the block. I walked to the park looking around for the “Hat Man”. No sign of him. I was hungry and there was a little coffee shop stand. I got a coffee and a cookie. I went to the bench and sat. I put the coffee down, and took out the book from my bag. “Why am I here?” I flipped through the book and obviously it was still blank. I ate my cookie and finished my coffee. “Where should I go? And What do I do?”

I walked around the park looking at people. On the bench across the park there was another black book. There was no one around. I walked to the book. I grabbed it flipped through. “Enjoy yourself” was written on the page right in the middle of the book.

Enjoy yourself? What? I looked up and looked around. Other than the ladies jogging and an older man walking his dog there was no one else around. I flipped through the book again and there was a check for $20,000.00, Payee: Jane Edwards. That’s my name. I looked up and back at the check. “This check is written to me.” I really could use it, but why? Who is this guy? Why is he paying me? How does he know me?

“I’ll see you soon.” Was written on the last page.