Old Friend 2.

"What were you doing on the floor?" I questioned.

"I tripped, but forget about me. Now tell me, child. Where did you disappear to for the last five years?" He asked, face full of curiosity. I found it strange that he would still remember me, after-all we only met a handful of times. 

"Well, you're taking me down my memory lane." I said, not ready to give him my answer. "How about I take you to that café close by; it's almost 7 so it should be open now." I suggest to him and he agrees like his life depended on it. 'That's not weird at all' I think to myself as I lead him down the street to the "Wild beans Café", which is only about 5 minutes walk from my apartment. 

We settle down in the corner and I offer him the menu. He doesn't take long to decide so I order pancakes for the two of us and prepare myself to answer him. 

"I hadn't expected to run into you again like this..." I start and he gives me his knowing smile while bobbing his head up and down. "So how have you been?" I ask him.

"I could've been better." He says. "Why didn't I see you for five whole years?" 

"I was offered a position at Harvard law school so I left. I did come to say goodbye but I dropped my cake, met a homeless person and I still couldn't find you." I sum it all up in one whole sentence, hoping he wouldn't ask anymore questions. 

"You should be finished with your law degree now...?" He probed further, however, seeing him I could feel as though he knew something was amiss. 

"I um...there..." At that moment our pancakes arrived and I managed to get out of answering such difficult question, this was not the situation I wanted to be in right now. I was happy to meet him again but not if it meant I have to revisit my past. "Food is here." I say and pass him the utensils. I guess he knew I didn't want to go into the details now so he stopped our conversation and focused on eating. 

"I didn't expect you to still remember me." I finally say to break our silence. It was weird seeing him here after so many years, the last time I met him he was running a tiny coffee shop. He would always be working alone every time I went out for a coffee during my lunch break and till this day I still wonder if he has any family since I've never seen him with anyone else. Back then I was new to the city, my classes had only just begun and during my break I would wander around town or sit in the library. I met him that day, I had forgotten my wallet and had held up the line behind me without meaning to. An elderly man had suddenly jumped up in front of me and offered to pay instead. I remember feeling thankful as I had been saved from all the harsh words of the angry customers. After that he introduced himself, I saw him most of the time 'when I did decide to come out' and soon enough he introduced me to his tiny coffee shop. Every time I went, I would be the only one in his shop which made me want to come more often because he must have been suffering from the lack of customers. That last day I went to look for him; his little shop was nowhere to be seen and nor could the people in that area remember. It was like he was never there. 

"Of course I would remember." He spoke, looking up at the ceiling. He seemed to be lost in his own thought for some time, I could be wrong but he seemed content. "You look exactly like someone who is very dear to me." He said after a while, his expression full of warmth. 

"Uh...you have a granddaughter?" I asked, wanting to know more about the person he mentioned. 

"Yes I do, but she is nothing like you." He replied, seeming very oblivious to my question. His earlier warmth suddenly descending from his eyes. "If only she could be more like you." He rubbed his chin with some almost visible stubble. Only then did I take a proper look at him, he looked very young for his age, it was easy to see he was a looker back in his prime. "Ah, now that you mention it. From today onwards why don't you call me Grandpa, I wouldn't mind an additional family member." He said, his earlier kind expression returning to his face. He looked excited like a little child, maybe this was good, maybe I could finally have a living family member who truly loves me. My own grandparents hated me since the day I was born, not to mention my own father. 'Could I really take this chance.' I thought to myself before giving him my answer. 

"Yes, thank you. I would love to have a grandfather." I replied. 

"Good, good. If my wife was alive she would have loved you." He said, thrilled at the thought. 

"Who do I remind you of?" I ask him once he's out of his excited phase and he doesn't take any time to answer this. 

"My late wife." He answered, his eyes looking towards the distance. I could tell he loved her a lot and thus, he treats me so well. "It's been 50 years now but not a day goes by that I don't miss her." He held a face full of remorse and hidden guilt, like as if he was the reason she was no longer with him. "You must not believe me right?" He said to himself more so than to me and proceeded to take out his worn-out wallet. "Here see this photo." I almost took a double take at the resemblance between the two of us, if not for the quality of the photograph one would easily mistake us for being the same person. 

"Wow...this is so unbelievable." I murmur but catch myself staring at the outfit she wore. It looked very similar to that of my mothers, it was her traditional clothes from her country. 'Could my mother be related to his wife?' I thought to myself but I brushed the thought, she had never mentioned about anyone who looks like me. 

"Is she..." Before I could complete my sentence, he cut me off. 

"As much as I wish to keep you longer, You must hurry home now or else you'll be late for work." He intervened and safely placed his precious photograph back in his wallet. 

"How did you..."

"No more questions. Now hurry on, my new granddaughter. You don't want to anger the prince."