August 12th, 2014

AUTHOR: hoshiko2

August 12th, 2014

No one stopped in the middle of nowhere Idaho unless they were lost or their car had broken down. Alfred had been one who had broken down, but he just never found the desire to leave. Leaving the fast paced life of corporate America was just what he needed, and he settled in nicely into the small 500-something population town he now called home. He had taken a job as a waiter at the local diner to get to know the people in the town and make fast friends with the truckers that drove through the town on their way to their destinations.

However, there were some times that he desperately wished for something exciting to happen. His mind would wander of alien invasions or crazy monster sightings or even a freak natural disaster (with no one getting hurt) where he could then come in and save the day. Of course, if aliens ever landed in his small town, he'd probably be too excited to poke around inside their spaceship than help out anyone in danger. He transferred all of his fanciful ideas to paper, drawing wondrous worlds, vividly detailing every landscape and every character.

Today, though, he was stuck. He always made himself the hero, one who never needed a sidekick, but who would be his love interest? Who would be his lady he'd always save from his most heinous villains? Of course, it wouldn't be a lady, but a lovely man. But out in the sticks of Idaho Alfred couldn't very well tell his story of his coming out and that being his true reason for leaving home at nineteen. So, he kept it to his dreams and smiled to himself whenever an attractive stranger would pass by the town.

The little bell above the doorway chimed prompting Alfred to hide his sketches and stand up straight. It was a newcomer, and a man. Alfred smiled politely, hiding his enthusiasm to have a new person to meet. The man glanced at Alfred, flashing bright green eyes that made Alfred gasp, and then sat down on the red leather bar stool at the counter.

"Welcome to the Lost Diner!" Alfred greeted cheerfully. "You must be lost to have found your way here!"

The man cracked a grin, but it looked forced as if he was appeasing Alfred. He took the laminated menu Alfred had handed to him. "Yes, hello. Do you have any tea or is it only coffee?"

"Um, we have iced tea," Alfred offered.

The man sighed. "I guess that will do. I'm parched."

"Are you from England or Australia?" The man shot a look at Alfred from under his thick eyebrows. Alfred blushed, somehow finding the man quite attractive when he got angry. "Um, I-I'm sorry, but I just don't know the difference. I didn't want to assume, you know? Sorry if that offends you that I ask."

"Well, I suppose it's nice of you to ask first," the man said offhandedly. He looked down at the menu and frowned. "I'm from England, by the way, and I'm on my way to San Francisco."

"San Fran?"

"I hear you shouldn't call it that," the man muttered under his breath.

"Are you from there?" Alfred asked with a grin. He leaned over the counter in hopes of making that man look up at him one more time.

"No, but I have family out there and…" The man closed his mouth suddenly. Then he said in a lower voice, "Why am I telling you this…?"

"Been in the car a long while?" Alfred asked. The man nodded slightly. "That'll do it. Ya have this need to talk to someone, so you'll blurt your whole life's story to the first person ya see."

The man seemed to be struggling with his mouth, almost like he was chewing on the inside of his cheek. Alfred thought he could see a small smile on the corners of his lips, but he wasn't certain. The man's eyes also seemed like he couldn't focus on one thing as he would start to look up, and then right back down at his menu, boring his eyes into the dark blue words.

"Well, anyway, the name's Alfred. Call me if you'd like anything. I'll get you your iced tea." Alfred moved away to get the cup and ice. As he passed by the radio, he turned up the music a few clicks higher. The man, his only customer, looked over at him. Alfred grinned. "I like this song."

"Party in the USA?" The man sounded as if he were teasing. Alfred's face heat up. "What would you recommend?"

Alfred nearly skipped back over to the man, giddy like a school boy. "Um! I would piiiick, oh, the fries for sure, and the chocolate malt, unless you like strawberry, then get that, and totally got for the chicken patty. Best in the county."

"The county isn't that large."

"So! There ain't another town for at least 100 miles! It's all farm land."

"May I ask…?" the man started, stopping almost as if regretting opening his mouth. Then, "How do you…pass the time out here…? It must be dreadfully boring at times."

Alfred laughed, putting the man's glass down finally. The man took it happily. "Oh God, it is boring. But, I just draw. I do a lot of comics. It's fun! Wanna see?"

The man nodded, abandoning his menu. He leaned over the counter as Alfred produced his sketches mainly on napkins and scraps of receipt papers. "They're not that great, but… I'm hoping one day to get into DC or Marvel! Do some REALLY cool superhero!"

"Does he have a girlfriend?" the man asked. Alfred looked at him, surprised, and the man pretended to ignore his stare. "The hero, I mean."

"Naw, mainly because…well, the hero is me and I don't have a girlfriend… Or a partner of any kind."

The man lifted his head and smiled kindly. It was the first full shot Alfred had of this mysterious man. His smile was beautiful; something Alfred would draw on numerous napkins and papers long after he'd leave. Alfred wouldn't be able to forget such a face or a smile for days to come, and he knew it'd keep him plenty entertained and focused with that one face constantly in mind.

"My name's Arthur, by the way. It's nice to meet you."

"Y-you too!" Alfred shook the man's hand.

For the next few hours, Alfred shared his comic book hero story to Arthur who listened with a content and amused smile the entire time. When it was time for him to finally hit the road he left two napkins behind; one that was blank and the other that had a phone number and a note on it: The blank napkin is for your imagination. This is for you to use whenever you're bored.