men | The Writings of A. K. Frailey

So I took a seat in a family restaurant with a friend, and the waitress stepped up. She just happened to be one of the most beautiful women I had ever laid eyes on. It wasn’t just her face…it was her expressive nature. Can a person radiate beauty?

Apparently.

After the waitress made her introductions, gave us a rundown of the specials, and offered us a few moments to think our choices over, my friend gave me his perspective, “God, she’s beautiful.”

I couldn’t have agreed more. When she returned, he asked her to tell us about herself.

Ironically, her name turned out to be Gabby. With composed enthusiasm, she told us about her degree in International Studies, her Salvadorian mother and American father, (or was it the other way around?) growing up in Texas, her life in Canada, and a planned trip to…” She was a bubbling fountain of information and good cheer.

Dinner was delicious and time with my friend was a pure gift. Gabby performed her job with grace and pleasant charm. After dinner, I left figuring that the encounter with the waitress was one of those rare occurrences in life, which makes life a little sweeter. I don’t often connect with strangers like that.

But maybe I can.

Later, when we stopped for ice cream, the young man behind the counter turned out to be a salesman par excellence. With comic humor, he offered us every size but the small…the one we had chosen. When we stuck to our choices, despite his multitudinous offers, he took defeat with boyish goodwill. I was charmed.

Turns out that sincere interest and engaging in conversation have the power to turn strangers into acquaintances at lightning speed.

Back home at the Wal-Mart where I shop, new lines of self-scanners have outstripped the number of checkout clerks. My first concern was that people would lose their jobs to automation. A sad plight when one considers how hard it is to keep a steady job these days. Well, any day. But after my weekend encounters and remembering the various personalities I have chanced to meet—however briefly—in checkout lanes, museums, hospitals, hotels, and a host of other places, I wonder if we aren’t losing something intangibly valuable to the altar of efficiency and good business sense.

Is it really a good idea to replace human beings with machines? Sometimes—absolutely. I’d rather risk a gadget to a high-risk situation than a body and soul.

But as Gabby plainly showed me—human personality feeds me in ways that mere food, no matter how well prepared, can’t.

Machines have replaced people and for centuries. Progress and all that. There is undoubtedly a better job for the checkout clerks in some other position…I hope and pray.

But my unease doesn’t stem from economic stability or even happy worker status. My unease radiates from the realization that it is all too easy to become isolated in this world. Random encounters with strangers in our work-a-day life are like the yeast in bread dough. We either rise to the human experience…or fall flat.

When we engage, meet eyes, smile, and dare to care even the slightest bit about the humanity all around us…we change the world. We change ourselves. Gabby’s beauty caught my attention, but it was her personality that held it. The ice-cream man wasn’t all-star handsome, but he charmed me in his own unique way.

The world is full of wonders…and wonderful people. Personally, I need my random connections if for no other reason than to discover that truth once again.

Novels by A. K. Frailey

Science Fiction

Last of Her Kind http://amzn.to/2y1HJvg

Newearth: Justine Awakens http://amzn.to/2pq0vWN

Historical Fiction

Melchior—Vengeance Is Mine http://amzn.to/2taeW2r

Historical Fiction & Science Fiction Blend

OldEarth ARAM Encounter https://amzn.to/2KLhlsN

OldEarth Ishtar Encounter https://amzn.to/2OAkDQF

OldEarth Neb Encounter (In production)

OldEarth Georgios Encounter (In production)

Children’s Book

The Adventures of Tally-Ho http://amzn.to/2sLfcI5

Inspirational Non-Fiction

The Road Goes Ever On—A Christian Journey Through The Lord of the Rings http://amzn.to/2lWBd00

Standing outside the huge garage door, Madge fumbled with her keys and then handed them over to the serviceman.

Without a word, he took them and nodded.

Buttoning her coat against a bitter late winter wind, Madge forced a grin. “Sorry, I’m so clumsy. I was out at the zoo, showing the school kids the monkeys—kind of a funny how they play off each other—but dang my hands get so cold, I could probably freeze water, like one of those superhuman types on TV.”

The service guy grinned and started away. “Well, if you want to sign for the order inside, we can get things moving so you don’t have to wait too long.” He stopped by her car, frowned at the tires, circled around and shook his head. He opened the service door and stood aside.

Nervous anxiety rippled through Madge’s body as she traipsed inside. She tossed her bulky purse onto the high counter. She glanced at the nameplate with Rick written in bold letters, next to a family photo with a pretty wife and two adorable kids.

Rick punched numbers into a calculator.

Marge swallowed back her fear. “So before you get too far, you want to tell me what I’m looking at? I mean, it’s just the oil change, right?”

Rick looked up, an appraising expression on his face. “Truth is, your two front tires are as bald as any I’ve ever seen. I’m surprised you made it through the winter on those things. Your steering wheel has more tread on it.”

Madge’s courage fell to the cement floor. “Well, I’ve been hoping they would make it to June. I only have to drive into the city twice a week, so I figured—”

The horrified look on Rick’s face forced her to grip her courage with both hands. She swallowed hard. “You’re right. It’s not safe. For me or anyone. Okay, I’ll get new ones. Can you get something a little better than what I have now? These only lasted a couple years..”

With obvious relief, Rick nodded and started tapping the calculator again. “We’ll take you up a step and with the oil change we’re looking at…”

Marge knew he was looking at a number larger than anything she had in her checking account. Or would likely have in the near future. When he was done with the detailed costs, tax, she sucked in a fresh breath and pulled her bag forward. “Do you mind if I call my bank? I’ll transfer what I have from savings…and then” —she squinted as if the light hurt her eyes— “maybe you’d let me make monthly payments on the rest? I’m good for it. It’ll just take three…four months tops. My job…well…it’s not one of those high paying ones.”

Rick nodded. “That’s fine. I’ll have to order these now, and when they come in, we can get everything done at once. Will that work?”

Pulling her phone from her purse, Madge exhaled. “Yep. I’ll call the bank now and pay you what I can and then—”

A man behind Marge cleared his throat.

With a frown, Rick peered over Madge’s head.

Marge started for the door. “I’ll go outside. I can’t get any reception in here anyway.” The wind had died down, and Marge soaked in the noonday sunshine. Her heart pounded as she pressed the phone to her ear. A tap on the shoulder turned her attention.

Rick stood before her, a strange expression on his face. “Hey, don’t worry about it. Just go home, and I’ll call you when I have everything set. Okay?”

A fresh blast of frigid air careened through her thin coat. She peered at the service door. “You sure?”

“Yeah. No problem. I’ve got some things to take care of right now, but I’ll call you about arranging the balance and payment.”

As Marge gave Rick her phone number, she wondered if she had accomplished anything. She marched to her car, her keys biting into her grip.

~~~

Once at home, Marge made herself a hot cup of tea and settled on the sofa with her checkbook and a pad of paper. She had to rethink her options. She sighed and took a tentative sip. Lipton’s best wasn’t nearly so good without sugar, but hey, it was better than just hot water.

Her phone rang. Dragging her purse by the long strap, she yanked it closer and sifted through myriad objects. Once she had her phone in hand, she tapped it on. “Yeah?”

“Marge?”

Marge waited. Oh boy… Exhaustion seeped through her body.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to bother you…and I suppose I acted a little odd when you left. But, you see, the guy in line behind you told me that he overheard our conversation, and he offered to pay for your tires if we ate the cost of labor and the tax.”

Marge froze. She wondered how long she could go without breathing. When conscious thought returned, she blinked and stared at her worn black bag slumped on the floor. “Who? Did what?”

“The gentleman behind you…well, he heard about your situation, and when you went outside, he offered to pay for your tires… but he didn’t want you to know it was him. He said he doesn’t know you or anything. Just his good deed for the day sort of thing. So that’s why I told you to go home.”

A lump swelled in Marge tears, burning behind her eyes. “I never…I mean…I can’t believe…”

“We told him okay; it’s a deal. So I ordered your tires, and you can bring your car on Friday at noon. We’ll have everything done by 3:00. That’ll work for you?”

“But I’d really like to thank him…whoever he is. And you too, of course. I can’t believe…”

“Don’t worry about it. Just bring your car on Friday, and everything will be taken care of. Free of charge. Sometimes life is good, you know.”

Marge swiped the tear from her cheek. “People are good, Rick.”

As she dropped her phone back into her purse, Marge realized that not only weren’t her hands cold, but her whole body felt warm for the first time in months.