Remember When

Part 2

I remember when you said that the homeless people did not deserve their fate, no matter what the circumstances were...

The first thing Maine noticed when she came to work that morning was the homeless man at the front corner of the coffee shop. He has a long beard, unruly hair and greasy skin. She could barely remember but there was a time when she thought that she said it to someone - it was a human right to have a roof on their heads and food on the table. Despite the circumstances, nobody deserved to be out and alone in the streets.

"That man was out there in front since this morning. The security asked him to leave but he won't budge." Paolo, a barista, said when she went behind the counter while donning her apron. She turned to the corner like she always do and saw Richard was already there. As usual, he was busy reading a book and the already familiar notebook was opened beside it. It has been twenty-four days since the last time he was here. She knew because she marked her calendar and wanted to know the pattern of his visits. He comes here at least once a month, and she wondered why. As if he sensed someone was watching him, he looked up and turned. He saw her. He waved in greeting and then, he turned back to his book.

Maine turned to the homeless man outside. Their government should give time to focus on the issues of poverty, especially for the people like that man. While she worked, she watched what was happening outside. The man was begging for alms while he played his violin. Their manager wanted him to leave but still, he didn't budge.

Maine decided to take charge because the people in the coffee shop were getting bothered. She didn't have any problems with the homeless person but to end the mindless chatter, she walked outside and joined the man. He was starting to play a beautiful song by Melissa Manchester. He smiled at her when she stood beside him. People, who actually gathered outside, were there to watch and listen to him. She realized that nobody cares if he was there in front of the café. Some would even stand to listen and then would go inside the café to grab something to eat afterwards. He was attracting customers for them actually. But the presence of the man in his dirty clothes might bother some soon, and she had to do something to help.

"Do you know this song?" He asked her while he continued to play.

She recognized the melody and smiled. "Yes. From the movie Ice Castles, huh?"

The homeless man smiled wider. A woman, who was excited to hear the melody, stepped up, introduced herself as Beth and volunteered to sing the song. The man nodded and he started to play again.

Maine watched from the side. The first few notes gave a sense of recognition from her of something in the past that she could not figure out. The man nodded for Beth's cue. She looked around at the people watching them. She would talk to the man about how he was bothering some people inside after this performance. Beth started to sing.

Please, don't let this feeling end
It's everything I am
Everything I want to be
I can see what's mine now
Finding out what's true
Since I found you
Looking through the eyes of love

Maine closed her eyes and sang the song in her head. It warmed her soul as she listened to the beautiful lyrics. Loving was a wonderful feeling when you found it. Loving was a precious thing to hold on to when you got it.

Now, I can take the time
I can see my life
As it comes up shining now
Reaching out to touch you
I can feel so much
Since I found you
Looking through the eyes of love

She didn't know tears started to fall until the wet moisture dampened her cheeks. She drew a deep breath.

And now, I do believe
That even in a storm we'll find some light
Knowing you're beside me, I'm all right

She opened her eyes and saw some people were wiping their tears. She glanced at the man. He gave her a reassuring smile and a nod.

Please, don't let this feeling end
It might not come again
And I want to remember
How it feels to touch you
How I feel so much
Since I found you
Looking through the eyes of love

"You are wonderful, ma'am." She heard the man say to Beth as the people applauded. Beth hugged him happily, despite the man's appearance and then, she went inside the café.

Maine thought this was her cue and walked up to him. "You probably thought of someone when you sang that song." He told her as he started to put his violin back in its case. His audience started to leave. Most went inside the café.

"Oh, I didn't -" A vision of a man came to her mind but she could not figure out the face. She shook her head. "I would like to give you some coffee and bread, please. I enjoyed watching you play beautifully. Do not leave!" And before the man could say anything, Maine immediately went back inside to get a cup of coffee and hot bread. Her colleagues did not ask. When she went back to him, the man was ready to leave.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Thank you for that beautiful performance, too. It felt good. I sang -in my head," they laughed together when she added the last one, "I forgot how I really love to sing, and that song, too." She smiled at him.

The man took her hand and kissed the top of it. "I wish you well, ma'am, for you have a good heart. Please remember." And with that, the man left. Dazed, she watched him walk away. She saw him looked at the brown paper bag she gave him. She put half a dozen of pastries there. She watched as she gave two to a street kid. Today was a precious one. More than just giving bread, the song made her feel good.

She turned to go back inside the café where her manager gave her a good pat on the shoulders. She turned and saw Richard looking at her. Grabbing her own pot of coffee just for him, she walked towards his table.

"Everyone here was amazed at how you dealt with the man outside," Richard started as she refilled his mug. "I don't actually get what was wrong. He was only entertaining the people outside."

"Right. When I was there, I realized that nobody really cares about him being the dirty homeless man. The people were actually outside to listen to him play the violin." She caught a glimpse of what he was writing on his notebook. There was the date today and the words started with I remember when you said that the homeless people did not deserve their fate, no matter what the circumstances were...

She looked at Richard and he saw her read the page. He smiled. "You are a good person, Maine. Keep being that way." He said. What was that in the notebook? Who was he and what was he writing about?

"I'm sorry but I can't help but read that line on your notebook. Are you a writer?" She asked him, and quickly followed it with, "Because I admit that sometimes I wonder what you were doing in this corner. I always see you write."

Richard smiled. "It's alright. I am writing this for someone." He stared at her. There was that look again. The moment stilled between them. She could not understand but her heart always beats fast whenever she was near him. There was the unusual urge to just stay and be beside him but of course, she could not. She has a job and he was not the only customer here.

"F-for someone?" She could not help but stammer. The thought that he was referring to someone other than her brought an unexplainable constriction in her chest. She should stop because there was nothing really between them. She should stop thinking about anything between them. He was slowly becoming a regular customer, albeit rather once a month, but still, he was there for a whole day and nobody from the staff wanted him away. He was like a rare sight every month and lucky were the people who had encountered him.

"Someone I used to know." She heard him reply.

"What happened?" She asked before stopping to tell herself that it was none of her business.

He replied anyway, "I don't know. I wish I know."

"Maine." Paolo called from the counter, interrupting them.

Maine blinked many times as she hesitated, but duty calls. "Uh, excuse me. Let me know if you need anything." She turned and walked away.

"Nothing else but you," she thought she heard him mutter. She chose to ignore it though, because she could not understand. Heck, she never understood everything in her life since she came home. That man was making things more complicated for her. Was he part of something that she could not understand in her life right now?