A New Life ... An Old Friend

Meanwhile in Buffalo...

Mary is serving the evening meal to what seems to be the regular crowd at the food kitchen, when two slightly familiar figures across the room catch her eye. As she scoops the ladle into the large pot of steaming hot chicken noodle soup, Mary watches, as a young man, smiling swings a little three or four year old boy, around in circles. The young child giggles and shouts, "More Daddy, More!" But the young man stops and shakes his head. Instead he holds the boy close to him and ruffles the child's hair. The young man looks across the room. Mary and the young man's eyes lock.

Startled, Mary drops the ladle, splashing an elderly man standing in front of her.

"Hey, watch it Missy!" the older gentleman yells.

"I'm so sorry." Mary says focusing her attention on the gentleman in front of her. Grabbing a dishcloth, she continued, "Let me clean up your tray and get you a fresh bowl." Nervously cleaning the puddles of soup off of the counter and the man's tray, Mary glanced up to see that the young man and child were walking towards the Main reception area of the shelter.

"Hey lady, you clean that any longer, the guy's not going to have a tray left!" joked the lady next in line.

Snapping her attention back to her task, Mary nervously smiled and apologized, "I'm sorry." Taking two bowls, she poured soup into both of them. She then handed them their steaming hot bowls, as she said, "I hope you enjoy."

As she took another bowl to serve the next person in line, she heard Mr. DeJaria call her name, "Hey Mary..."

"Yeah Mr. D.!"

With a thick Italian accent he stated,"Your Grandpa's here." Tying an apron around his waist, he continued, "You can call it a night. I'll take it from here."

Giving the bowl of soup to a young girl, probably in her mid-teens, Mary replied, "O.K. thanks. See you tomorrow?"

Smiling, Mr. DeJoria replied, "Yeah, tomorrow." Turning to the next gentleman in line, "Well, how ya doing Jimmy?" Mr. DeJoria asked, as he poured some soup into a bowl.

Quickly hanging her apron on the hook in the office and grabbing her backpack and purse, Mary walked briskly toward the Main reception area of the shelter, where she knew the Colonel would be waiting. As she walked around the serving line, Mary quickly looked around the room hoping to catch a glimpse of the young man and child. However, they were no where in sight. Disappointed, Mary walked across the room. Pushing the wooden, double doors, she could hear the Colonel talking to someone.

"So you see, Sir, that is how Billy and I knew that Mary was working here."

Mary interjected, "Wilson, what are you doing here?"

Wilson turned. Holding Billy in his arms, he replied, "I came to see you."

Squirming and reaching his small hands out to Mary, Billy shouted, "Mary!"

Mary reached out, as Wilson handed his young son to her. "So how ya doing, squirt?" Mary asked, smiling. Billy's only response was to suck his thumb as he laid his head upon her shoulder.

Glancing up, Mary asked, "So, what are you and..."

The Colonel interjected, "This fine lad was just giving me his status, since he and I last met. It's a small world, don't you think?

As if she had not even heard the Colonel, Mary tried again to ask, "So, what are you and Billy doing here in Buffalo?"

"Well, my cousin's job transferred him to Buffalo, so Billy and I moved with him."

"Yeah, but you said earlier, you came to see me. How did you know that I was in Buffalo?"

"Well, I ran into George at Little Tykes Day Care where Billy goes while I'm at school. Apparently, he volunteers there twice a week. I asked about you. He told me that you were living here."

"Oh," Mary said, suddenly at a loss for words.

Interjecting once again, the Colonel said, "Mary, we need to get going. Ruth and George are waiting in the car. We're going out to Sea Escapes Restaurant." Turning to Wilson, he asked, "Son, would you like to join us?"

Taking his sleepy child from Mary's arms, Wilson replied, "Thank you for the offer, Sir, but I best get Billy home."

Turning back to Mary, Wilson spoke, "It was good to see you again. Could we grab a bite sometime?"

Smiling, Mary gazed into Wilson's dark eyes, as she replied, "Yeah, I work here every night, but maybe after work sometime."

"Great. Well, I'll see you around." Then Wilson turned and shook the Colonel's hand, "It was nice seeing you again, Sir."

"Good to see you again, son." Then every so slightly, the Colonel's face showed a loving expression, as he ruffled Billy's hair. "You have a fine boy there, son."

Somewhat surprised, Wilson replied, "Well, thank you Sir. I hope you don't mind if I call on Mary every once in awhile."

The Colonel snapped back into military mode, as he and Wilson walked outside, with Mary following. "Not at all son, just as long as Mary continues to stay on the right track." They didn't notice Mary roll her eyes toward heaven.

Lost in her own thoughts, Mary wondered what exactly George had told Wilson. All she knew was that she would have to somehow find out. Probably ask him herself. She was tired of people bringing up her mistakes. She was trying to start with a clean, fresh slate. However, it was getting harder to do when people, like the Colonel, kept bringing up her past.