In Case I Forget: His Name Begins With an “X”

I’m sitting at work right now, and something seemingly insignificant just happened that got me thinking. A man just walked into my office and sat down. I barely noticed him because all he did was declare who he was here to see, and that he would be more than content to wait in the lobby (where my desk is) for his person to come down. No thank you, he would not like a coffee while he waited, but thanks so very much for asking. My coworker and I nodded, and returned to our computers.

I don’t remember how we ended up engaging in conversation, but we did. At some point, he began to twirl a cane around in his hand...

I hadn’t noticed the cane before, and looked at it curiously. He explained that he had been in an accident some years before, and that the cane was a bonus accessory. It’s something about the way he talks, and the way he carries himself. It’s almost regal, but in the most relaxed way you could imagine. A person who is totally comfortable with themselves, and is totally accepting of their situation and surroundings, is a rarity. Here is a man who will probably be semi-handicapped and in constant discomfort for the rest of his life, but judging by the smile on his face as he talked, he could have been talking about a stroll on the beach. When he stood I got a good look at his face. 2 inches shy of 6 feet, a dazzling white smile, the barest 5 o’clock shadow and kind brown eyes. Handsome without trying. After we had our conversation, he decided to grab a cup of coffee and head upstairs after all. He stood and limped over to my desk and handed me his driver’s license in exchange for a temporary badge. I forced myself not to look at it until he was well out of sight-


Darnit. He’s 34 years old. Twelve years older than yours truly. Ah well, it was still a pleasant experience. One that I don’t want to forget. But just in case I do...his name starts with an

.