The Path

Every shift started the same, get the bar ready for service....she knew the routine like the back of her hand. The anticipation of the hustle and bustle of service slowly building within her as the seconds ticked away. She glanced at the clock and realized that he would be arriving very soon. Every day for the last six months at exactly 5:05 pm he saddled up to the same bar stool. She would already be pouring his lager, knowing without asking what he would start with. As she set the beer in front of him with a familiar hello he pulled out the little black book that he wrote in every day. She often wondered what he was writing in that little black book and had been tempted many times to peek in it when he left it unguarded at the bar. She respected his privacy and their conversations too much to cross that line. She looked forward to their conversations each day, he was the calm in her otherwise chaotic day. The grounding conversation that she needed, it was more substancial than mindless bar chatter. He knew all about her life, her dreams, her struggles and the path she hoped her life would one day take.

Everyday at 4:45pm he would start to gather his belongings knowing that he would soon be in his favourite bar, in his favourite seat having a real conversation with a genuine soul. He looked forward to these conversations with her, she was young enough to be his daughter and he had that kind of fatherly concern for her well being. He had a few minutes until quitting time, he picked up his little black book and slipped a piece of paper into it. As he left the hotel room he glanced at the half filled suitcase and was a little sad to know that this was the end, he would never be here again, he would never see her again.

He stayed longer than usual this time, he knew that this was his last night with her. They fell into easy conversation, he had once asked her if she could do anything what would it be. Tonight he would get that answer, tonight that answer would decide her future.

As service wound down she had more time to chat with him. She said she had been thinking a lot about his question....with no limitations or parameters it was hard to narrow down what one would do. As much as she loved her job and the social aspect of it she would slow down and take the time to really experience life, she wasn't sure what that would mean but felt that with unlimited options she would find her path. She was called away to help with closing duties and he wrote in his little black book, nodding with satisfaction at her answer. He believed this was an honest answer and that given the chance she would find her path.

He closed the book, adjusted the folded piece of paper, paid his bill and said goodnight. She waved goodbye and when she got to his empty seat she saw he had forgotten his little black book. She figured she would return it to him tomorrow. As the days passed with out a visit from him she began to realize that as abruptly as he had entered her life he had left it.

Finally she opened the little black book. Each page of the book annotated their daily conversation and what he though about it. She was able to read his inner most thoughts about his time with her, she felt the fatherly love that he felt for her and knew that although he was gone his kindness would be with her forever. She went to put the book down and out fell a folded slip of paper. She unfolded it to see that is was a cheque made out to her for $20,000! She flipped to the last page of the book where he had written "Thank you for your kindess all these months. Your town was meant to be a pit stop on my journey but your kindess kept me coming back. I will always be grateful for what you gave me and hope that this can help you find your path."