2021 riverrun Final PDF

did not know what he hoped to gain by speaking to somebody he knew nothing
about, but it was a connection to Jeff that he had previously chosen to ignore. “We
used to argue all the time when it was time to go somewhere.” He looked to his feet
and huffed. “Hell, who am I kidding? We used to argue all the time.” He did not
know if the woman was even listening, but he had spoken very little about Jeff since
his death and talking about him now made Daniel feel lighter, freer.
“OK, well, uh… anyway, thanks. I guess I’ll leave you alone. Have a good
night,” he said as he rose to his feet. He was about to step off the curb when he
caught a whisper behind him.
“Jeffrey,” she said, her sandpaper voice so light he almost missed it. “I hate
coffee.” Daniel’s heart convulsed. It took him a moment to process what she had
said. He was certain he had never used Jeff’s full name. He turned towards her but
could still not see her face.
“Oh, okay,” he chuckled uncertainly, “well, then tomorrow I’ll bring something
different.”
“Jack Daniels,” she whispered, and Daniel choked back a surprised laugh.
Maybe she had been listening after all.
“OK, then, Jack Daniels it is,” he said. A moment later, when she still had not
raised her eyes to meet his gaze, Daniel nodded slightly and headed to his car. As he
shifted into drive, he looked over his shoulder just as the bus drove in to block his
view. When it left, he watched the old woman climb to her feet, grab the money he
had left with the coffee and throw the full cup into the garbage. The cash went into
her coat pocket. She grabbed her cart with one bony hand and left the bench behind
her.
Daniel continued to visit the bus-stop whenever he could. The weather began
to warm, and the smell of wet earth greeted him every time he opened his front
door. The woman was always there, in the same spot, dressed in the same shabby
clothes. Some days Daniel talked freely, telling her stories about his life with Jeff. He
told her how they had met and where they had lived. About how they had fought and
how they had loved. She said nothing, but as the days progressed, her back began to
straighten when she could see him approaching, and Daniel could tell that she was
listening to him, absorbing what he was saying. On some days they sat wordlessly,
lost in thought, unmoving, and they often stayed well past the time the last bus had
come and gone.
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