So there I was sitting at my little Starbucks table, idly messing with a string on my shirt. I didn’t like coffee and I still don’t. So why was I there?
I could tell as I sat and looked at others that it was obvious that I didn’t belong there. But it wasn’t like I was hurting anyone and it wasn’t like I was going to go outside.
A flash of lightning and the immediate rumble of thunder confirmed my thoughts that it was still raining outside. It had been raining all day and many news reports were saying that it was going to rain a lot in the next few weeks.
I liked lightning but I hated the thunder and I flinched as an especially loud boom echoed between the buildings outside. And as I returned my gaze back to the rain streaked window I watched the many figures with their umbrellas walk by.
I noticed how you couldn’t distinguish the faces of many people, not because most were looking down, but because of the odd fog that was continuously building outside.
As the lighting flashed yet again the people were illuminated and for a brief second you could see their faces. Frantically I searched for any clues of the man I was looking for but the light was too sudden and to short fore me to find who I was looking for.
Resigned I sighed and sat back in my seat.
I can’t believe I showed up. I’m such an idiot. Some old man and his son are probably sitting at home laughing and wondering whether or not the lady on the other end of the phone was actually sitting in Starbucks.
I’m such an idiot. I thought again.
The couple sitting at the table next to me had risen and was heading towards the door. I decided to follow their lead and leaning over I began to gather my black purse as the bell tinkled above the door signaling the exit or entrance of somebody.
I glanced up half-heartedly, whoever it was I was supposed to”meet” probably wasn’t going to walk through that door.
But I was wrong.
As the couple walked out the door didn’t close immediately. Instead, in walked a man in a black waist length, leather coat. As he paused for a moment to look around I was intently looking at him. Why? Because he didn’t look anything like I expected.
Okay, I thought, it’s not like I know him. I’ve only talked to him on the phone. Maybe this is the wrong guy. Maybe this is a completely different person.
I couldn’t help allowing my mind to flash back to the scene that had happened yesterday and that had brought me to my awkward position today.
I was walking home from work like any typical New Yorker. I wasn’t in a rush; in fact I had gotten off of work early yesterday. So I was bidding my time and I happened to walk past a phone booth.
The phone began ringing inside and I hesitated in mid step to see if anyone was going to rush into the booth and answer it. Kind of like in the movies where the gorgeous man must answer the phone before a certain time or else his lover would die. But nobody paid any attention to it. So I kept on walking.
But as I passed the next booth on the other side of the block, the phone inside began ringing. I kept walking however, surely it must be a coincidence and why would anyone try and call me through a telephone booth? Everyone knows I have a cell phone, I had thought.
But at the next phone booth the phone yet again began to ring and I ran inside and picked up the receiver before if finished its first ring.
“Hello?” I asked hesitant, after all, there are psychos in the world.
There was a pause before, “I’m glad you finally answered my call.”
It was a deep man’s voice. “Uh, I think I’m going to hang up now. I’m sure you have the wrong number.” Weird!
I easily slid the receiver into the grimy holder and turned to walk away when the phone began to ring again. I stopped.
Who’s calling now? Is it that same guy?
I picked up the receiver slowly. Again I said, “Hello?”
“How’re you doing?”
It’s the same guy, I thought. I’ll admit I was revolted at myself for picking up the phone and I somewhat cringed when I answered him “I’m doing fine.” I said not sure whether or not this was the right thing to be doing.
“Good. Are you enjoying your early off from work?” he asked conversationally.
My breath quickened. How does he know I got off of work early?
And so I asked him, scared of the answer I would get.
“How do you know I got off of work early?”
How does he know which booth to call? I suddenly realized.
He chuckled softly before replying, “We’ve been watching you for a while now. Your life needs a little spicing up.” When I didn’t respond he said, “Meet me at the Starbucks on Williams Street at four. Don’t be late.”
“But – but I don’t get off work until four thirty!” I cried before I could stop myself. I need to start filtering what I say, I nagged in my head.
It’s not like I was going to actually meet this guy. It wasn’t even a consideration. But still I was curious as to why he was telling me what he was and I was curious to see if I could find out how he knew so much about me.
“Don’t worry.” He said, “You’ll get off wok at three-thirty because of the storm.”
My heart almost stopped beating.
My boss hated storms. Ever since I started working at The Diner we had always been let off of early so we could get home soon and not get wet. But the real reason was that my boss, Lydia Green was absolutely terrified of storms.
Lydia Green was very friendly with all of her employees. Hence the fact that we called her Lady Lyd but it wasn’t because she was a Lady it just sort of… well… stuck to her.
Lady Lyd bought The Diner back in the mid-nineties as an old rundown warehouse. She then poured a fortune into it over the next two years in renovating costs and when she was through it was one of the better known fine dining restaurants.
I was one of the many on her staff of twenty. Twelve chefs and the other eight was us waiters or waitress.
My boss, however, wasn’t just known for her cooking she was also known as Mrs. Green, the wife of Dr. Green a renowned therapist in New York. It was on her 42nd birthday that she spontaneously decided she wanted to be a cook. And when Lady Lyd decides something… stand back because she just might run you over to get it.
But don’t get me wrong, she’ll come back and apologize for it. She’s a wonderfully nice lady. She’s just really strong willed.
I must have started breathing harder than I had noticed because the man on the other end of the phone said, “Are you going to be okay Vanessa?”
My eyes widened. He knew my name. And so I panicked.
“No!” I cried into the phone, “No! I can’t meet you! I’m busy tomorrow! I can’t make it! It’s not going to storm! I can’t! I’m going to be out of town! I’m visiting my Grandma Svelte I can’t come and see you! Bye!”
And I swear the second before I hung up the receiver the man said, “Your Grandma’s been dead for seven years!”
I stood there staring like a crazed woman at the phone receiver praying to anyone that would listen for that phone not to ring again. And somebody heard me because it was silent.
I turned and stumbled out of the booth keeping my composure by bouncing against people who just pushed me back and kept moving.
It took me a few moments but I finally willed myself to walk. I had to keep going. What had just happened was a coincidence. What I had imagined him saying was just that, my imagination.
There wasn’t a guy, or had he said ‘we’ve been watching you’? Either way nobody was watching me. My life was too boring who would care about me?
Your life needs a little spicing up. Omigosh he said those exact words!
I realized then that I was walking past my apartment complex door. I reached into my purse and grabbed out my key as I punched in the code for the front door.
With an annoying buzz I yanked the door open and dashed for the stairs. I ran all the way up the five flights and when I reached my door I began to realize just how out of shape I was.
I need to calm down, I told myself, it’s not like people are following me.
But just in case I jammed my key into the lock and twisted the knob. The door flew open and closed faster than it ever had.
I had sighed in relief as I had walked across the living/kitchen room and into my bedroom.
My apartment wasn’t big, only one bedroom a living room that I had renovated and split into a half kitchen. The other room was a bathroom. I walked into my bedroom opposite the door to the bathroom.
I flipped off my shoes and threw open the curtains covering the large French doors leading to the small patio I had just outside my room.
Okay… I’ll admit. I hadn’t really been able to afford my apartment without a little help from Lady Lyd. She overheard me talking to a co-worker about how I didn’t have enough money and she lent me some.
Yes, I suppose that was a little weird, but hey she was giving me money. So I used it and my first priority after that was to pay her back. And yes I already have.
The calming light I had been hoping to shine through the window was non existent. I stared disappointed at the sky wondering where the light had gone. Instead I was staring at the clouds.
Clouds that probably held rain.
I turned around and grabbed the remote off of my bedside table and flipped on the TV as I sat on my bed.
It’s not going to rain. It’s just a cloudy day.
The blonde news lady that was on said, “So far, the people in the elevator shaft are okay. Reports indicate enough oxygen and nobody have been reported dead. We’ll have more for you on this story after the weather.”
The camera changed views to an average man with a deep voice who said, “Well as predicted tonight there’s a forty percent chance of rain or thunderstorms. However tonight the cell is accumulating and by tomorrow there is an eighty-five percent chance of rain. For the weather in New Jersey…”
I didn’t hear what the news guy said after that. But I knew that tomorrow I would be let off of work early. Again. The only thing I could hope for was being let off after four.
Well even if I do get off early I’m not going to go to Starbucks. Why am I so worried? He never said that if I didn’t go he was going to find me and kill me. I need to calm down and be more reasonable.
However the next day Lady Lyd announced that we were going to be let off of work early. Another waitress asked what time and Lady Lyd said three-thirty.
I walked around the rest of the day with a hollow feeling in my stomach.
And that’s how I ended up sitting in Starbucks with no coffee or muffin, staring at what appeared to be a random guy walking through the door. But somehow I knew that the guy walking towards me in the black leather coat was the guy I was supposed to meet.
