MDA: Chapter Eight - Where Parallels Converge

"More coffee, Hun?" I ask him after summoning the courage to go over again.  I didn't expect him to say anything this time, he never does.  All he does is sit near the window and sip at his coffee whilst staring at the people passing by.  I wonder what he spends all those hours thinking about.  Once in a while his phone rings and he runs off without a word.  He always leaves me a tip though, I like that.

I fill his cup without him so much as acknowledging my presence, and go back behind the counter to clean-up whilst it's quiet.  I'd take his lack of awareness personally with any old deadbeat who wanders in here, but with him it's different.  It's as if he's holding on to a single thought so he doesn't forget it, that what he has on his mind is so important that he can't let it go for a second.  When his thoughts are that meaningful, who am I to try to drag him out of them?  

I wonder what his life is like, where he lives...who he's with.  For a start I've never seen anything like the clothes he wears.  He stands out like a sore thumb round here, but always seems to just fade into the background at the same time.  He's been coming in here for months, and I don't even know his name.    

"I don't pay you to stand around, princess." Barry scornfully whispers in my ear, barrelling into my thoughts and ruining them like a dust-storm obliterating an oasis.  I take my cue and ask my regulars, an elderly couple Mr and Mrs Harris, if they'd like another drink.

"Oh please, dear." the old woman replies. "We'd like the biggest chocolate milkshake you can muster, it's our anniversary after all." she adds, proudly.  

I notice the old couple holding hands under the table, and whilst I'm happy for them and this sunshine on an otherwise dreary day, my heart sinks with...jealousy I suppose.

"Congratulations to you both, I'll be right back with your drink.  It's on me."

After serving their milkshake I retreat back to behind the counter, happily letting my thoughts wander once again to distract me from my pettiness whilst I fill the sugar jars.

The vibrations of his ringing phone jolt me out of my thoughts instantly.

He answers the call seemingly agitated, and I find myself hoping that I've done nothing wrong.  He moves for the first time in hours and goes over to the window, looking up at the sky.  He seems anxious, tense.  I find myself walking over to him before even thinking of doing so.

"You ok, Hun?" I manage to ask under my breath like a complete moron with nothing better to say.  He doesn't respond and keeps his gaze fixed to the sky.  A moment later, the other customers join us at the window to see what we're both looking at.  Just as I begin to wonder if he's simply overly keen on rain storms, he begins to usher us all back away from the window.  I manage to sneak a glance at his eyes behind his ever-present glasses as I brush past him, following his gestures for everyone to get back.  They look exactly as I had imagined, but with added concern.  Something's wrong.

As everyone moves back whilst staring intently at the window, two people fall from the sky, followed by a man landing after looking as though he jumped from the roof.  He says something and runs away.  A frenzied rush of panic sweeps over the customers as they run away from the window upon witnessing the bodies fall, knocking Mrs Harris over in the process.  There have been so many lately I immediately think it's a mugging taking place right outside, and run to the counter to get the first-aid kit just in case it spills off the street, and into the diner.  I go to a screaming baby first and give it a hug to calm it down whilst the mother looks on, shocked by the sudden flurry of motion.  The sound of gunshots from down the street reaches the room, and the customers dive under the tables, terrified.  I hand the baby back to its mother and urge them both to do the same.  Shuffling over on my hands and knees to Mr and Mrs Harris to help them under their table, I notice him flying out through the door.  

I want to go with him.  I want to know what's going on.  The swelling urge to run after him is as strong as my desire to leave the diner and never come back.  Reality strikes me in the split-second he's still in sight, and all I can do is shout something stupid after him, perhaps hoping that he'll stop and...I don't know - take me away - silly really.  

After a few minutes of uncomfortable, anticipatory silence, the customers tentatively begin to come out from cover and I check around to see if anyone's hurt.  They all leave after I give everyone a hot drink to calm their nerves, still in shock but unscathed.  

I stand alone amongst the upturned chairs and scattered tables in the centre of the diner, confused over what had just taken place, and processing it all.  I swear I saw two people hitting the ground outside the window, but there's nothing there now.  

Perhaps he's a cop, that's why he runs off on a moments notice.

Perhaps I'm asleep after my double-shift and this is all a dream.

"What the hell happened? I was gone for ten minutes and you turn this place into Beirut, get this cleaned up, NOW." Barry roars at me from the entrance.

Wishful thinking.