boredom breeds bored people, and bored people lead to a diner too packed for one poor waitress, desperately trying to keep up with the herdsounds of my coffee is cold and iām not paying for that. the noise is not just pestering, but pullingā it drags you in, buffeting you against the screams of tantruming babies. white walls yellowed from an older era of indoor smoking contrast with cherry red booth-seats, cracked like the chapped lips of the woman who sits at the table just beyond the entrance.
but loki canāt blame them too much. the coffee is cold and sour.
heās used to seeing men size each other up, but for a man in this town to wilt at the sight of another, something must be worth investigating. he approaches quickly, snatching up a millisecond of silence. āāMichael, right?ā with the question comes a hard clap just below the manās shoulderā an assurance that no one is going anywhere for the time being. āLet me buy you a cup of coffeeāā
āāMaāam?ā a gesture to the waitress, āMaāam, can you get a coffee for me and my friend over here?ā
michael Ā glanced Ā down Ā to Ā the Ā hand Ā at Ā his Ā shoulder, Ā gaze Ā slowly Ā shiftingĀ Ā to Ā make Ā eye Ā contact Ā with Ā the Ā other. Ā he Ā shrugged Ā his Ā torso Ā away, Ā briefly Ā looking Ā again Ā to Ā the Ā exit Ā before Ā nodding Ā once,Ā Ā Ā Ā ā Ā yeah. Ā ā Ā his Ā voice Ā was Ā flat, Ā dullĀ Ā Ā Ā ā Ā uninterested. Ā thisĀ Ā wasnātĀ Ā the Ā first Ā time Ā a Ā stranger Ā had Ā approached Ā himĀ Ā sinceĀ Ā hisĀ Ā discharge ,Ā Ā āmichael, Ā right?ā Ā followed Ā by Ā a Ā string Ā of Ā queries Ā that Ā he Ā didnāt Ā care Ā to Ā indulge.Ā Ā
would Ā this Ā encounter Ā be Ā any Ā different? Ā michael Ā doubted Ā it. Ā but Ā something Ā about Ā the Ā man Ā suggested Ā heād Ā best Ā sit, Ā stay Ā quiet, Ā and Ā wait Ā for Ā his Ā dad Ā to Ā intervene. Ā itād Ā be Ā any Ā minute Ā now Ā that Ā peter Ā would Ā come Ā in Ā and Ā whisk Ā michael Ā away Ā before Ā heĀ Ā becameĀ Ā too Ā much Ā of Ā a Ā spectacle Ā forĀ Ā theĀ man.