JUST BEING COMPANY
My favorite place in the Pizza Hut on 9th avenue is the third booth on the north wall. I go there to collect my thoughts. Sitting in that booth seems to relax and strengthen me. The booth faces the bar across the room. You can see directly into the booth from the bar, so it is not a hiding place, but it still serves me as a small sanctuary. Sitting at the bar waiting for the booth to become available. I was looking into the mirrors on the wall and I watched her sitting in the booth for over an hour. The restaurant was filling up. I would not be able to get my table, if she did not move in the next hour. She seemed to be weeping softly with a look of frustration rather than defeat. My heart went out to her. I knew how frustrating life can become when you are down and out. She was wearing a black baseball cap with a logo green from some hotel chain. Her hair was fixed with two pigtails sticking out from under the cap. It seemed to fit her face although I rarely saw white women with that type of hair style. Dressed in a light blue shirt of cotton and loose fitting black denim jeans that seemed to give a sense of self assurance. They looked good on her. The cuffs were rolled up twice over high top boots that looked like the old brogans of the fifties. I could tell there was something unique about her . Getting up I strolled over to the booth.
“I can see that you are in the middle of some real problem solving, I said. This is usually my spot to unwind after five o’clock. Today, I really need to relax and get myself together. A couple of guys didn’t show up this morning. This left me short-handed all morning. Then I had to deal with a thief at the work site. I wouldn’t disturb you, but I need to sit here and put the foolishness of the day into its proper place. You look like you can understand the need to pull yourself together after a long hard day.” Do you mind if I sit down here? I have seen your face before. So, I had to come over to try to set my memory straight. Do you know me?
“No, I don’t know you! I distinctly heard you say you would not bother me. Would you mind not talking while you trying not to disturb me! I had a very bad day, too! And you are not making it any better. I don’t need someone trying to pick me up with that lame “Don’t I know you” line. If I knew you, then I could ask you to help me, but I don’t know anyone in this city. Look man, I am having enough trouble without another person trying to pull something on me. I got robbed this morning. Lost my phone chasing him and now I can’t get in touch with my family. They need to know what happened to me . How I am going to get home, I have no idea. So just go away and leave me alone.
Here, use my cell phone to call your family. I hand her my phone and walk away, quickly. As I walk to the bathroom to wash my hands, I look back to see if she is using the phone. She is dialing the phone. As I pass the night manager, I ask him Hey, Jeff, what is with the girl in the booth?
Jeff said, I don’t know anything about her. She has been in here since I came on at 2:35. She hasn’t said a word to anyone. She ordered a coke and sipped on it for over 2 hours.
Thanks, man, she gave me a hard luck story and I was wondering if she was for real. The restaurant was filling up with families eating dinner. All that Pizza being passed around made me hungry. I need something to eat! Can I get a large pepperoni and sausage and a pitcher of soda? I didn’t get to eat my lunch, today. I am starving. Oh, give me two glasses with that pitcher.
That will be fifteen dollars and seventy-five cents. Cash or Charge? It will take 15 minutes for your order. New policy says only one refill on pitchers.
“Jeff, why you getting stingy with your goods, man?” I can’t find any cash in my wallet. I pulled out my business American Express card. “Here, put it on the company card.” I had better get back to the table before she decides to run off with my phone. I hope she took the opportunity to call her family, while I was in the bathroom. As I approach the table my phone is laying on the table across from her Atleast she had not run off with my phone. “Were you able to reach them, I asked.
No, but I left them a message. Thanks! Why did you do that?
Do What?, I said. Give me your phone and then leave, she said.
“I had to go to the bathroom. You said it was important to get in touch with your family. So, I let you use my phone. I could see that you needed some help. It was all that I could offer at the time. I hope that things work out for you. I am going to have a couple of slices of pizza. I hope you will join me in my meal and maybe we can find a solution to some of your problems.” I reached into my duffle bag and pulled out my daily work sheet. The contractor that I worked for liked to get daily reports of each days progress in rehabbing these buildings. As I looked for my tablet, down in the bag, I began to remove some of the items covering it. I pulled out my written notes on the workers, my shirt, two pencils and the bag the thief had dropped. I found the tablet then and started to put these things back in my duffle.
” she said, I didn’t think a manly guy like you carried a purse.”
I don’t , I said. This is the bag the thief, who was on our job site today, dropped. I forgot I still had it with me. I should turn it in to the police after dinner.” “Can I see it , she asked? Why?, I said. “It looks like the purse I lost today, she replied , as she reached for it. “There are four identifications in the purse. I looked through them before I put it in my bag”, I told her. They are from people located in the Grand Rapids area. Hopefully, you will find yours in there somewhere.
There was a lull in our discussion as the waitress brought the pizzas and the drinks. I began by making the sign of the cross. “In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. We ask you to bless us O Lord and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty through Christ our Lord. We thank you (Making the sign of the cross, again) In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
She looked at me kind of perplexed. You are not the type of person that I thought you were, at first. Now I can see that you were sent by God to help me.
What do you mean, I exclaimed?!
I have been sitting here asking God to help me. I was deep in prayer, when you came over here with your corny line. “Don’t I know you? I said, NO! Go away and leave me alone. I mentioned my problem and you hand me your phone.
Then you turn around and hand me my missing identification. I’m starting to get suspicious. How can this man come up and give me what I needed most? “I am not sure what is going on.”
Then you stop to pray before eating. Out loud and not under your breath. You asked for God’s blessing and thanked him for the meal. God was letting me know that you are his child and He sent you to help me.
“You don’t think I am an angel or something like that, do you!?” I asked.
No angel, just a man sent to help me. Can I have some of the pizza?
Sure, I said, Help yourself! Want some soda, too?”
“She took a couple slices of pizza and filled her cup with soda. She sat back seeming to relaxing as she ate the pizza. “This is good, she said. I was too upset to realize how hungry I am. Turning to me she said my name is Maggie. What is yours? I replied “Matthew.”
“Well, Matthew, I am going to need one more favor before we part company. My things are at the bus station. I will need a ride to bring them to my hotel.
Now it is my turn to be amazed. She has accepted me as a friend. Simply, because I did what is normal for me to do praying over my food, she decided I am the answer to her prayers. She made me want to be what she said.
Well, I have been during some praying these last few weeks. We had a picnic for the crew last month. They all brought their families and had a great time. Guess who did not have anyone special to bring? I invited one of my clients, a single mom and her son. She brought her son, they played all the games and when it was over they left for home. I was left alone for the rest of the day. I have been looking for ‘company’, you know someone to spend time with after work. Tonight, I get to be her company. She needed someone to help and I have been chosen. I guess to have company, you have got to be company, sometimes.
Hey, Matt, You don’t mind my asking for your continued help? But, I have no one else to ask. It’s getting dark. I wanted to get settled in for the night. I am in town to take a course in hotel management. It shouldn’t take me long to get a room, now that I have my identification. I get pushy sometimes. Maybe you have some place you need to be and don’t have any more time to help.
No, Maggie, I would be glad to help you get settled. Let’s go get your stuff and I will drop you off at your hotel.
I got up to leave a tip for Joan, our waitress, and to use the washroom. The restaurant had been busy when I first came in. Now all the tables and booths seemed to be emptying. I guess if it had not been so busy I would not have had a chance to meet, Maggie.
As I passed by the counter, Jim made the comment” I guess somebody is going to get lucky tonight.” I looked at him and started to say something then stopped realizing that he would not understand what had happened. Maggie got up as I came back to the table. “Are you ready to go,” I said. “Yes, let me hit the ladies room before we leave.” I looked around to make sure I had everything. My hat and coat were on the chair next to the wall. The work bag with the identifications, we had looked through was sitting under the table. Looking around the table, I realized that Maggie had nothing with her. We had discussed my taking her to pick up her bags at the bus station. So after I dropped her off I would turn the id’s over to the police. Then home to my empty house, again.
Chapter 3
I watched as Maggie walked over to the door, where I stood. I realized I had been blessed to spend this time with her. I had completely forgotten about my bad day. No headaches, no pressure just a very relaxing evening. I held the door for Maggie as I pointed to the corner. My van is around that corner, where the mailbox is standing. Now where did you leave your bags?
“At the bus station, do you know where that is? I am not sure how I got here from there. I came in on the 4:30 pm greyhound bus from Chicago. I put my bags into a locker before I started walking. I did not want to have to carry them until I found out where the Stratford House was located.” I walked from the station looking for the hotel. We are supposed to have training classes there for the next two weeks. They said it was only a short distance from the station. “Did you find it? I asked. Yes, she said, I could see the building about a block away, when someone knocked me down. I was helped up by two young men, one of them took my purse as they pretended to assist me.” She continued to explain.
Do you still have the key? Yes, she said, I had it in my pocket when I was knocked down during the robbery. “
The bus station is about 12 blocks south of here.