The Stranger

He sat in the diner, people watching. It's what he liked doing the most. The grin of the old guy in the booth by himself waiting, as he did every day, for the waitress to offer to top up his coffee. The young couple with the infant in the pram, each taking their turn to hastily inhale a pastry or a mouthful of coffee before their child wakes up demanding attention. He watches as the waitress carefully peeks into the pram and whispers something to the couple who both smile and thank her for no doubt a kind word, unsolicited and heartfelt. He liked her. She seemed genuine. The bell rings for another order to be brought to another customer and she scuttles off to fetch the next meal for the seemingly endless needy customers. Today was different, it was mid-week and there seemed to be fewer people in the diner, the same pattern seemed to echo across all the diners he'd sat in.

He'd been in the diner every day for a week, watching the waitress as she tirelessly worked her way through her shift, carefully mixing up the times he arrived to watch her. He noticed that she never once checked her watch or looked weary, something that many others he'd seen clearly struggle with. However, today was different, she seems on edge and was checking the door. Soon it became clear why when an elderly woman arrived, her frailness apparent as she struggles to make the single step through the front door. The waitress rushes to assist her, offering a hand whilst propping the door open with her foot. The elderly customer gratefully accepts the proffered hand and makes her way towards the stranger. He considers why when the diner is half empty, and the waitress rushes to him "I'm so sorry can I ask you to move to this table please?" He is taken aback and fleetingly looks around at the other empty tables. She adds "It's, well, she likes to sit here as its close to the bathroom and I can see her from the kitchen". She looks awkward and there's a brief pause and he smiles and replies "Of course, it's no problem" and makes to move. As he reaches for his coat, the elderly woman pipes up "Excuse me, young man, if you're not expecting anyone, you can stay there, if I can join you?". Caught between the waitress who now is beginning to look a little embarrassed and the old lady who is waiting his reply, he smiles politely and nods "Yes, I'd like that". He settles down into his place again and the woman takes her seat on the bench opposite as the waitress looks at the stranger with a slight smile and silently mouths "thank you" as she helps the lady out of her coat.

"So, I've not seen you in here before, are you visiting or have you moved here?" the elderly companion enquires as her eyes move from his face to his shirt and his drink expertly measuring him with sharp and keen interest. "Actually, I'm here for a week on business and I prefer to find a diner that I like and stick to it for the whole of my visit. It's just something I do". The woman nods her head in agreement "Yes, I'm the same, sometimes if you get a good cup of coffee and try out another restaurant you can feel let down" The stranger nods with a faint smile and takes a sip of his own coffee. A momentary pause settles in before he enquires "So you always sit here when you come in, then?" The lady places her hands together on the table top "Yes I do, my daughter, the one who helped me in just now, prefers I sit here so that I'm not in the way, although she maintains it's so I can get to the bathroom more easily. The truth is I don't even know what the bathroom in here looks like" The stranger chuckles "She's probably just looking out for you". The lady nods in agreement and they enter into a brief silence. "That's Sally, she looks after everyone, she makes sure everyone's looked after" she adds and sighs, after a brief pause she adds "even though it's getting tougher". A further silence settles between them, but, she notices, just a comfortable and patient type of silence as if the onus is on her to fill the space. She looks down at her hands. "I'm sorry, I didn't even ask your name, I'm Emily" she offers her pale, delicate hand across the table and the stranger looks at it briefly before smiling and taking it, replying "I'm Jacob, nice to meet you Emily". He goes back to his coffee and takes another sip, before looking up and adding "So what's getting tougher?" the waitress appears from nowhere with a china cup and saucer. The old lady smiles at the stranger and subtly shakes her head as the cup is gently placed in front of her. As she makes to leave the waitress gently gives the ladys shoulder a gentle squeeze before the bell chimes and she dissappears again. "Gosh, I'm sorry Jacob, I've just met you and here I am spouting words like a gossip" she picks up her spoon and stirs her tea as she appears to drift off to another place. "Sally has worked here for ever, never complaining, never a cross word about any of the customers and she is.." the words trail off into a silence. "I've noticed" he agrees.

The stranger is a listener, an avid watcher of people. Wherever he goes, people want to speak and tell him things. He instils a sense of reassurance, trust and, maybe even cartharsis, as he appears never to judge. So he listens. He waits patiently for her to resume her unfinished words. She looks up at him with eyes that are keen and bright, the opposite of her old and frail figure. However he recognises the look, the look on her face and her eyes that have experienced pain, loss and tragedy. He'd seen so much of this before. After a brief lull, he smiles an encouraging smile before gently commenting "You were talking about your daughter". The lady blinks a few times returning to the present "Oh sorry, yes well she's not really my daughter, she's my son's wife, but I like to think of her as my own" another pause as she clearly musters up the strength continuing "we lost him 2 years ago, he had cancer...he was my only child and Sally and him were...well, perfect. They have twin girls who are at school and will be here shortly. Which is why I try to make it here. With Sally working here all the hours and the girls at school and playing hockey at the weekends, it's one of the few chances we get time together" Her face lights up at the mention of the girls. The stranger smiles with her at her thought of seeing her grand-daughters "So how are the girls coping?" he enquiries gently. The lady sighs and shakes her head "It's been tough, Sally tries her best to keep them focussed on school work and their sports, but inside they all really miss him, so very much. I think they try to shield me from their pain, but sometimes.." her words trail off and he nods "it's only natural and to be expected." She nods in agreement, "It's been made even more difficult as my son's business wasn't doing too well and they've since had to move home which has been tough. Sally has seen a house that she can just about afford but it needs a lot of work and money to fix it up. I only wish I could help them out but I don't have that kind of money" The stranger smiles his thin smile again and nods, a sympathetic and understanding gesture. She continues to recount her son's life and clearly her pride at her daughter-in-laws stoic nature as he continues to listen.

Out of nowhere, a voice interrupts, "Granny, who is this?" the elderly ladys face changes into a picture of joy as two teenage girls carrying a ton of books and bags bustle through the diner to the booth. "This is Jacob, he's visiting and was sitting in my spot, and, well, I'm here now too" a comment which brings raised eyebrows as they cheerily greet the stranger in unison. "Hi Jacob, look Granny we're coming in" The elderly lady shakes her head as they each clamber over her before the waitress hurries over "Girls, what have I said about climbing on the seats? Look at this mess" she glances at the abandoned schoolbooks and bags. "What would you like?" the girls, without any hesitation utter "Strawberry Shakes" together. "Surprise, surprise" mutters a smiling Sally as she departs.

"Have you bored him with your poetry yet Granny?" asks one of the girls. "Sarah! I've just met the poor chap without driving him away totally" again the strangers eyes meet with the elderly lady and they exchange looks accepting the cheekiness of youth. "Go on, Granny read one" quips the other. Her look of horror is clear "I'm sure Jacob has better things.." in a heartback he comments "I'd love to" a tense pause ensues as a stand-off between the girl and her grandmother is met with a smirk and encouraging nod of the head by the former. "For goodness sake..ok then" the lady reaches for her bag and retrieves a small black book. "I've just finished one" and she proceeds to read the poem during which the strangers eyes never leave the lady as she stumbles through the words before finally finding her rhythm. At the end the stranger sits for a moment until a silence envelopes the table, before smiling "that was beautiful, I loved the imagery of the birds at sunset and in the trees, do you mind?" he reaches his hand over and the lady closes her book before handing it to him. She makes to get up "Now where are those shakes, help me up girls, I can't stay and wait for Jacob to read in front of me, let's find your mother" The girls clamber over and assist the lady to her feet before leading her to the counter.

"Mum, Granny's found a boyfriend!" as they reach the counter and Sally slides two glass beakers to them both. "Oh have you now?" smiles Sally clearly enjoying the moment of discomfort that Emily was enduring. "He seemed to like my poem and asked to read some others, I couldn't just sit there as he read them.." Emily commented. "Well, he didn't like them that much, he's gone" they all look to the booth and sure enough it's empty, the book is left on the table but Jacob is nowhere to be seen. "Oh, bit rude" mutters Sarah as she starts tackling her shake.

Returning to the booth Emily is clearly perturbed by the sudden departure of the stranger. She picks up her book and her fingers brush a folded piece of paper tucked underneath it. "What's this?" Emily picks up the paper and reads it as further slip of paper flutters onto the table next to the book. "Dear Emily, like you I'm not comfortable with people reading what I've written, please use this gift as you see fit, I enjoyed hearing your delightful words"

"Mum, its a check for $20,0000"