Apollo's Awakening

Part 5: Dewy Dawn Of Memory

O strengthen me, englighten me!
I faint in this obscurity,
Thou dewy dawn of memory.
~Alfred Lord Tennyson, "Ode To Memory"~

"How do you like your coffee?" asked Peter, who was sitting across from Apollo in a booth near the window. The coffee shop was empty except for a woman wearing running shoes and workout gear, sipping a latte.

"Huh?" Apollo mumbled, as he stared around the shop and out the window, clearly confused yet mesmerized at his surroundings.

He realized that Peter was watching him, and clumsily slammed his hands in his lap. "I mean, uh, I'm sorry," Apollo fumbled with his words. "But, um, I kind of don't know what's going on. What is this place? Who am I? And what is that delightful aroma?" He rambled. The smell of freshly brewed delight filled the small shop, and again Peter painfully remembered the mornings when Helen would look across the table at him, hair still tousled from sleep, hands curled around her mug.

"You've got a bad memory, dontcha? Well lemme fill you in. This is a cafe in New York City, one of the most populated cities in the United States, which is..." Peter went on and on about the U.S., the world, businesses, the economy, entrepreneurism, coffee, taxi cabs, Mondays, and everything else that came to mind when explaining today's world to his newfound lost friend. Apollo sat in confused interest, asking every now and then what a word was and how to make a certain thing work. Peter had talked for hours, and as the time got later, Apollo joined in on the conversation, understanding more and more. Every now and then a certain topic would oddly strike Apollo as appealing, and his head would throb.

Peter loved to talk, especially ramble aimlessly. Only until the bell on the front counter rang as a result of an unhappy customer who had been waiting too long did Peter stop and check his watch.

"Good God, it's lunchtime!" A long line had formed in the middle of the shop, of businessmen murmuring to their BlueTooths, women talking into their cell phones, and teenagers with earbuds staring intently at their bright phone screens. The bustle of the shop seemed not to have upset Apollo, he was actually intrigued by so much going on around him. Peter was a great teacher, but Apollo was an excellent listener.

"How about we go to my place? You can stay there awhile. I'll get you a job, and sooner or later you can be living your life without my help." Peter scooched out, and Apollo followed him outside the shop. The crisp outside air was familiar and calming to Peter, and he walked down the street as natural as a bird would fly. Apollo mimicked his stride. "Why not hail a cab?" he asked.

"The building isn't far. It's good to walk every once and a while. Plus with this traffic, it's faster to just walk." Peter replied, glancing back towards him.

Apollo enjoyed his new expanse of knowledge, and wanted to learn more. Peter was a nice friend, and Apollo was excited to live his new life. Although, many questions continued to stack in his mind. The biggest question was why his head kept throbbing. Did I have an accident? Was I jumped? Did I fall?

The questions that were swimming in his mind suddenly vanished as Peter led him into a gleaming lobby with polished floors and a beautiful chandelier, dripping with crystals, hanging overhead. Peter turned, expanded his arms as he strolled backwards, and smiled. "Welcome to Chassinger Incorporated." He said.