Saturday special: Eavesdropping

Sorry for the late post. Kyle is on vacation and I couldn't decide what to post for our Saturday Special. We had two options of either having a guest or me writing something new. I procrastinated so here is something old. The prompt was to eavesdrop on someone else's conversation and to write about it. Here is the result with a bit of stretching the truth.

            Three couples were huddled around 2 tables large enough to seat all of them but they were standing. As if to say they were intending to leave. Their meal had ended some time ago, as did the rest of the patrons to the small establishment. The conversations had splintered into two for some time with a larger group of four devolving into the recent Olympic events. I could see and hear everything as I continued to labor away, hoping to leave early.

            “Did you guys get to watch the hockey game against Canada?” A man in glasses inquired the rest.

            “Yeah, I got to see the tail end of it because of work, it was pretty close.” A man in a beard replied.

            “ It made me so mad when we lost!” the girl in a headband piped up.

            “But man, we fought to the end,” a man in a backwards cap said.

            “ It just shows the U.S. Resiliency,” glasses admitted.

            While this was going on the last two ladies were having their own conversation. One of them was leaning towards the soda wearing a sweater; the other was holding her baby in a haphazard manner.  I never held Juan in such a manner.

            “You look so good for just having your baby, I can hardly believe it,” the girl in the sweater said.

            “Thank you so much. There was a point during the pregnancy where I doubted I would ever be able to look at myself in the mirror the same way.”

            “Excuse me ma’am.” I asked as I attempted to pass the chatting girls to continue cleaning. I want to add so badly, “ We are closed could you please continue your pointless conversation elsewhere,” but she couldn’t risk losing this job as well. Checking the time, Juan was going to be done with bad practice soon and needed to be picked up. I hope they don’t stay much longer.

            With out batting an eye the girl in the sweater moved slightly for the girl to pass. “Don’t worry about that you look stunning.”

            The woman situated the baby in her arms. “ Oh you are just trying to be nice, not all of us can keep the same college body forever.”

            The volume of the other group had grown some decibels and began to eclipse the other. “Can you believe those Russkies,”one of the men roared. “ They can’t even have adequate preparations for the games cutting expenses all over the place.”

            “ Yeah and then they continue to win most of the medals,” the bearded man butted in.”

            “I bet you it was Mind Games and sabotage just as usual with the Russians. If they are in dangerous and lackluster living environments the Russians have an edge, just another day in the neighborhood,” the man and the glasses asserted.”

            “ Still cheating after all this time I see the commies haven’t changed at all,” said the mad with the hat.

The woman in the sweater finally had decided that she needed the drink more than ever cut through their conversation with the ice machine. The group of men grew silent, for a while they waited for the other two to save them.

“Excuse me.” I passed back through the group. Hoping they would get the hint. I wish they would leave; I can’t do anything till they leave. Juan will never let this down if I’m late again today. Relief swept over me as I noticed hugs being passed around and feet shuffling toward the door, finally. Maybe if I hurry up I can make up for lost time.

“Mom? Where are you? I thought you wouldn’t forget me again?”