Dell's Journey

Chapter 14: Coffee House Conversation

It was a few days later when the bus rolled into the

station where Dell and Pet would, in Dell's words, "Do

something for once." They had arrived at 7 o'clock in the

evening in a sleepy university town where most of the

buildings were no more than 2-stories high. The small

downtown area where the bus-station was seemed to have been

constructed by people who loved brown and tan bricks. It

was also full of trees, which waved in a steady wind that

occasionally plucked leaves from them to put someplace

else. He passed by a store that sold college sweatshirts

and coffee-mugs with the school crest on them. He was sure

the classic window-sticker would be for sale in there too.

A rustic looking ice-cream shack was just across the

street, and several young looking people were standing in

line in front of it, or were sitting at wooden benches on

the sidewalk.

In a couple of minutes he was sitting outside a little

espresso-house in a black, metal chair that wasn't very

comfortable. The sun was sinking behind him and was

casting rich, golden light onto the buildings across the

street. Pet's leash was wrapped around the legs of the

table that Dell's cup and saucer were on. Also on the

table was a copy of the town's local newspaper, which had

been perused hastily and without interest.

What am I doing? Am I going after her? Dell really

didn't know. Was he chasing Rian with some ridiculous

intention to win her back? What would showing up at her

campus door looking sunburned accomplish? Did he even want

her back?

I want someone. Everyone has someone but me. But no

one deserves someone's love more than I do.

The voices of some overzealous philosophy students

were rising at the table not far from his. He turned and

looked at them with curiosity. One of them had a nose

ring: a young man in his early twenties with messy brown

hair and skin that looked like it should have been better

taken care of during puberty. Dell overheard the other one

first.

"...and we all know that there is nothing, and I mean

nothing, more we can do in ethics until we know a lot more

about the human brain."

She was a slender girl and she couldn't have been a

day over 20. Her black hair was pulled back behind her

head and tied in some chaotic fashion. Her features were

sharp and handsome, Dell thought.

"I completely agree with that," said nose-ring.

"Neuroscience is where the next step is going to come from,

period. So many people keep looking backwards for answers

to issues that are going on right now, you know..."

His words faded into the background of Dell's sensory

systems. He drained the last, bitter dregs of his coffee

and pushed his chair back. It was evident that he had

something very important to do, especially when he got six

or seven steps down the sidewalk before suddenly

remembering to unhitch Pet from his table-restraints.