It was finally time to go…I put on my scarf, my hat, my delightful waitress helped me with my coat and gave me a little squeeze around the shoulders. 
“You know…I’ve been to the market across the parking lot a dozen times at least, I’m going there next as a matter of fact, but I’ve never noticed you all here at all - did you just open or something?”
“Oh no, sir,” she replied, taking my payment with a wistful half-smile, “Sometimes, I think we’ve always been here.”
“Well, I’m sure gonna remember this place, you all have been just wonderful, and I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed lunch more.”
“Thank you, sir…now you try and stay warm out there, and just remember…we’ll always be here if you really want us. Goodbye!” - I’ll always remember the surprise at the sensation of her lips just barely touching my cheek, and the lightness of her perfume as she gently guided me through the door.
I walked a few steps across the parking, slightly lost in wonder, then reached inside my pockets for my gloves.
“Oh no, I left them on the barstool next to where I sat!”
I turned to retrace my path back to the restaurant, looked up and saw…a peeling “FOR LEASE” sign pasted over the door.
“Wha…?” I wondered, stupefied by what my eyes took in, weathered boards covering the windows, a rusty lock securing the door.
“Was it all a dream? Did I imagine everything? The sparky margarita tower?! The band singing ‘That’s Amore?!’ No! It can’t have been!” I cried.
Suddenly, perfume returned, lingering for just a moment, and a faint whisper that seemed to come from inside my ear reminded me, “…we’ll always be here if you really want us...”
I searched my pockets again. There were my gloves.
I looked skyward, smiled, and walked to the market across the parking lot. MrsT needs some decaf coffee, I thought.
“You know…I’ve been to the market across the parking lot a dozen times at least, I’m going there next as a matter of fact, but I’ve never noticed you all here at all - did you just open or something?”
“Oh no, sir,” she replied, taking my payment with a wistful half-smile, “Sometimes, I think we’ve always been here.”
“Well, I’m sure gonna remember this place, you all have been just wonderful, and I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed lunch more.”
“Thank you, sir…now you try and stay warm out there, and just remember…we’ll always be here if you really want us. Goodbye!” - I’ll always remember the surprise at the sensation of her lips just barely touching my cheek, and the lightness of her perfume as she gently guided me through the door.
I walked a few steps across the parking, slightly lost in wonder, then reached inside my pockets for my gloves.
“Oh no, I left them on the barstool next to where I sat!”
I turned to retrace my path back to the restaurant, looked up and saw…a peeling “FOR LEASE” sign pasted over the door.
“Wha…?” I wondered, stupefied by what my eyes took in, weathered boards covering the windows, a rusty lock securing the door.
“Was it all a dream? Did I imagine everything? The sparky margarita tower?! The band singing ‘That’s Amore?!’ No! It can’t have been!” I cried.
Suddenly, perfume returned, lingering for just a moment, and a faint whisper that seemed to come from inside my ear reminded me, “…we’ll always be here if you really want us...”
I searched my pockets again. There were my gloves.
I looked skyward, smiled, and walked to the market across the parking lot. MrsT needs some decaf coffee, I thought.
