Each Game of Chess...

I met a man in a coffee shop, just off campus, tonight named Peter. He was of average height, brown hair and hazel eyes. He was friendly and offered me drink selections. He told me, "Go for the French Soda over the Italian." I smiled and asked the difference... I had been planning on getting a 16 oz. white chocolate mocha with a shot of toffee, just like always. He said the only difference was that at the end, a French Soda had half&half mixed in. I decided to live life on the edge and ordered a French Soda. Then, going with the flow I asked him what flavor I should get. He told me Orange was like a popscicle, the Amaretto was "too nutty" and Kiwi was the most often picked, and Banana made the half&half curdle. I told him I'd go with Mango. He told me if I didn't like it he'd me me another for free. I tried it. It was pleasant... not a mocha, but still refreshing.

When I told him I was early meeting people we sat down together, after all, the night would be slow until the stream of Crusade kids would wander in. We talked about our classes. We talked about taking time off from school. We talked about the death of some of our close friends. He needed to talk and I enjoyed listening. When he got passed the things he felt comfortable talking about with a stranger, he pulled out the Chess board and we sat in understanding silence and pushed tiny plastic pieces across the black and red checkered board. It was a mutual silence, neither with strategy, just two stranger playing Chess in a quiet coffee shop.