SSSSLLLUUURRRRPPPP!!!!

The old man sat in the corner taking in the patrons of the cafe. He sipped from his cup, crumbs around his lips from the muffin he'd just enjoyed.

To many he was invisible. But not to me. I'd glance at him and wonder what did he do for fun? He face was weathered and wrinkled. The hands that gripped the cup were nicotine stained.

The old man slurped the tea, no longer caring what people thought. No one looked at him.

Except me.

I giggled when he slurped. The old man smiled. Teeth missing but a warm smile. The eye twinkled.

I tentatively got up and moved towards his table.

"Hi how are you?"

The old man looked up and continued to smile. After looking me over he started to talk in a language I didn't understand. Eastern European? Russian? But I recognized his gesture for me to sit at his table. As I took my seat the man grew quiet. He slurped again and I giggled. The man seemed to enjoy my reaction. He looked at me with some amused puzzlement.

I looked at him closer and saw salt and pepper hair, more salt than pepper. The man motioned to my cup and seemed to beckon me to join him in slurping. I looked around, what would people think?

SLURRRRPPPPP!

No one looked my way, except one woman in line. She uttered a disappointing tsk tsk.

I laughed louder and the old man joined me. We were a choir of laughter.

We sat in silence and felt warmth. Content to just be.

The man seemed to enjoy my company even through we couldn't talk. Maybe it was better this way, after all what would we talk about?

I was broken from my thoughts.

:"Dad, I've told you about leaving the house unannounced!" The man was dressed smartly in a business suit. He looked like he didn't really want to be there.

The man shooed the words. He was clearly not happy about the words of his son.

The businessman placed a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry my Dad bothered you."

The son took his father by the arm and gently lifted him from his chair.

"I don't mind. He's kind of cool."

"Come on Dad. Time to go home." The man ignored what I had said.

The old man looked me in the eyes. His eyes had lost their twinkle. He let his son move him along. I felt a twinge of sadness. The old man wasn't hurting anyone and seemed to enjoy being out.

I didn't even say bye. I looked as the man was being shown the door by his son.

I grabbed my drink and....

SLURRRRPPPPP!

It caused the old man to look back, the twinkle was back. He laughed and I giggled. I found myself wishing I would meet this man again and soon. Too bad his son didn't see the man that I saw. To think it all started with a slurp!