CHANCE ENCOUNTERS: A SOUTH AMERICAN ADVENTURE
Synopsis:
A series of vignettes about modern-day Cobert from different POVs: "To witness two lovers is a spectacle for the gods" Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote. We found these words to be true as we follow modern Cobert touring South America and working magic on every life they touched with their simple acts of love and kindness throughout the course of their journey.
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fanfiction based on Downton Abbey.
Chapter 1: Mirada de Amor
Montevideo, Uruguay
Normally, at 2:00 o' clock in the afternoon, the crowd that usually fill the cafes in Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay, starts to thin out as droves of hungry people retreat to their respective offices, or to enjoy their siesta, bringing back with them the sound of their enthusiastic banter.
This afternoon is not any different, quipped León, a twenty-something waiter in a quaint and rustic café in the historical district of Ituzaingó.
The few hours between lunchtime and dinner is a moment of peace for people like him: a waiter's life leaves no time for daydreams. But at this hour, the dirty dishes cleared, the dark wood chairs pushed closer to the tables, León usually takes his brief respite behind the bar polishing glasses and goblets.
He was deep in his task when he heard the chime tinkled and the entrance door pushed open. As he turned to check, a tall and good-looking couple in their mid-50s came into view. They stood by the door smiling apologetically at him as if they have come at an inopportune time.
"Buenas tardes!", the two greeted him at the same time with a hint of western accent. They are obviously not regulars. Tourists!
"Buenas tardes, senor y senora!" He greeted enthusiastically and crossed the space towards them.
"We saw that you are open and so we came in. May we ask for a table for two please?" The woman asked politely in one of the softest and melodious voices that León has ever heard in his life.
"Of course, senora! This way please," León enthused while motioning his customers to a table by the window that reveals through parted gauzy white curtains the passing scenes outside.
As the two settled on their chairs opposite each other, he retrieved the menu from the bar, took his pen and notepad, and waited patiently to take their orders.
The couple asked him to walk them through the menu as this is their first time to be in Uruguay.
"What would you like to have, darling?" After a while, the woman softly inquired to the man without lifting her face from the menu. León noted the lingering sweetness in her voice.
Darling! Even without hearing that, they are obviously a couple, León told himself. He has been watching people from behind bars and waiting at tables for three years now that his ability to tell romantic and married couples from mere associates has sharpened significantly. He also caught the man, obviously her husband, carrying the woman's quite heavy looking leather tote bag when they came in as if he has done that numerous times that it looked so natural. And the way they moved in-sync towards their table hinted years of warm and cozy togetherness.
"I think I'll have el bistec. What about you, sweetheart?" Her darling regarded her with equal tenderness.
The woman lifted a pair of ocean blue eyes at León and enumerated their orders.
"What about drinks, senora, senor?" León inquired in his Spanish accented English.
"We'd love to have two glasses of Limonada de mango y menta, a shared plate of Ensalada completa…" she paused for senor's confirmation.
"That sounds delicious! May I have the Tarta de crema Catalana?" he directed his question to the senora.
"Okay, Tarta de crema for my husband and fruta de dia for me," senora smiled at León and as he started to turn, she called to him "Muchas gracias!"
Fifteen minutes later, their meal is served and León went back to his post behind the bar to resume with polishing. Every now and then, León would lift his eyes from his work and could not help but steal subtle glances at the couple heartily enjoying their meal. For the first time, he had a really good look at the two.
The senora cut an elegant figure in a crisp white shirt, light brown chinos, and cream-colored espadrilles. The senor wore a beige linen tunic, rust colored chinos, and brown loafers.
They were so engrossed with each other as with their food. When senor speaks both of them never break eyes from each other. When it is senora's turn to speak senor seems to listen intently. He would chuckle every now and then obviously enjoying listening to her. At one time, he caught the senora took a small slice of steak from senor's plate with her fork and chewed on it appreciatively after which she returned to the Salmoncito sale on her plate.
León looked away through the other window feeling a stab of pain in his heart. Seeing the couple sitting there enjoying their late lunch and each other's company makes him think of Carmen, a thought that he has been trying to ward off in the past couple of days. Carmen is a friend he had been going out with for a year and a half until two weeks ago. Carmen and him had many wonderful moments together; he felt very comfortable in her company and he was certain she felt the same way with him. Every weekend, they would do grocery together and dine outside. They have quite reached a degree in the relationship where they could anticipate each other's needs and thoughts.
But they have not discussed and defined their relationship; he was mostly content going by with what they have without the pressure of a real romantic thing. He always thought, Carmen didn't like complications herself. Then one day, she popped the question about them and, stunned, he did not handle it well. He stuttered, mumbling incoherently. She didn't say anything about it for the rest of the day until when he walked her home to her apartment near Cambara, standing by her door fishing for her keys, she turned to him and in one breath declared "I think that we should better stop seeing each other." They have not talked since then, him, especially him, being afraid that if he reaches out to her, he might get rejected. That could hurt. Also, he did not want her to think there is something more than what they have…or is there really nothing more there?
But the way the senora is throwing looks of unfathomable love to her husband has quite an unsettling effect on him for he has seen glimpses of that look from Carmen before. Only every time he caught the senor returning the same look, he realized that he hadn't been good at demonstrating his sweet regard for Carmen most of the time. Could it be that…
He was so engrossed with his own thoughts that he didn't notice the senora approached him from their table until she was two feet away standing from the other side of the counter.
"What can I do for you, senora?" León quickly recovered.
"We would like to order a cup of coffee and a slice of chaja for the senor and a cup of tea for me please."
"Right away, senora."
As León placed the cup of coffee by senor's right side, he felt the need to interact a bit, glancing at senora, he said, "How do you like your postre, senor?"
But senora answered for him, "Oh, he liked it a lot he had all of it!" She sounded giggly.
And in a low, conspiratorial voice, she leaned towards him covering her mouth with her hands while her eyes remained glued to her husband and whispered, "Senor is still a growing man." Mirth crinkled behind those blue eyes.
From the opposite side of the table, a louder chuckle escaped from senor's lips, his hands automatically reached out to hers resting on top of the table and squeezed it gently.
After the couple finished their coffee they asked for their bill. As they were about to go, the senor pulled out a crisp 200 Uruguay peso note and put it in the black payment folder as tip on top of the service charge that they paid for their meals.
León looked up at the couple as if to say "That's too much, senor." But the senora was quick to reassure, "We loved the food, the service, and the whole place. Thank you so much. Have a wonderful time and take care always."
León's eyes moistened. He didn't get to hear heartfelt salutations and acknowledgement from his regulars before.
"Muchas gracias, senor y senora! Adios! Enjoy Uruguay!"
The couple waved at him, turned and walked out of the café into the muted sepia tones of the lazy Uruguayan afternoon sun. Both held hands as they crossed the street to the other side, Senora's tote bag once again in senor's free hand.
León was overcome with feelings he couldn't explain. What a loving couple; what a lovely sight! Desire to love and to be loved like that rose from the core of his body and swept his veins. His heart throbbed with desire to see Carmen after work. He couldn't take love for granted anymore much less pretend that he just wanted to hang around with her and nothing more. He will buy her roses and kneel on his knees for her forgiveness. He knew now what to do: he is going to love her and invite her to love him back until in their middle age they could become a picture of the senor and the senora that he just recently met.