Just a little free writing. Was reading a short story by J.D. Salinger and felt a little inspired. Hope you enjoy it.

Chance. That’s all Henry could really call it; a chance encounter that resulted in a love unknown to him prior. Of course, just because it was love did not mean that it was fate or at all similar to the innocent openings of many a dime store novel. Having discovered Yukiko’s cell phone late at night, beside a sidewalk bordering a shoe store long past its golden years, Henry had brought the phone to the local police station and given his statement. Those this may seem like the typical setting for any romance fed to the popcorn fueled masses, I can assure you that this love is anything but typical.

With his address and phone number listed on the police form, and his consent to allow the owner to contact him, if they so chose, Henry was greeted by a phone call several days later. A rapid succession of Japanese from a young woman’s mouth fell onto his ear. Only able to capture key words explaining the caller’s thankfulness and want to reward him, Henry could only reply with vague agreement. Since the phone was decorated in fake diamonds and cute stickers, Henry was not surprised by the voice he heard. Youthful, sweet, and at a pitch slightly higher than average, the caller asked if she could meet him and personally give her thanks. Henry, being a young and single man, could hardly refuse such an offer and agreed to meet the caller the following day at a local café. Hanging up the phone, Henry couldn’t help to think that she should try to find more cell phones more often.

Arriving at the café, Henry checked his phone to see if he had arrived early. He had. By fifteen minutes. Now, it is safe to say that Henry enjoyed arriving early to any event, yet even he knew that his nerves had gotten the better of him and quickened his pace that morning. Sitting down at a steel table placed underneath a patio yawning, Henry waited. Though Henry did not know who he was looking for he felt certain that they would recognize him. Being one of only four foreigners in the city, it was beyond foolish to think he blended with any scene in a five hundred mile radius. Surely enough, as he was checking his messages, Henry was stirred by the soft and shy voice he had previous heard over the phone.

“Henry?”

Titling his head up slightly and peering over the rims of his sunglasses, Henry quickly evaluated the slender form which stood before him. Beginning the with torn “skinny” jeans and high heeled sneakers, his gazed continued to a vest-like, brown jacket draped over a yellow and black checkered button down, and finished with a small round face, centered around two high, protruding cheek bones and small narrow eyes resting above a thing and delicate mouth and below a curtain of slightly dyed, short hair.

“Hi. Hello. How are you?”

The woman greeted him with a quick look of confusion as she quickly attempted to recall seven years of English education that had culminated in a college entry test that made her no more prepared for a true conversation does teaching a blind man the importance of color harmony within a painting.

“Oh sorry,” Henry quickly said, quickly switching to Japanese. “It’s habit. Hard to stop answering in English when people say my name.”

“It’s ok. I’m glad you speak Japanese. I really don’t remember any English from when I was in school.”

“I hear that a lot. Please sit down. Would you like something to drink? To eat?”

“I’ll have a drink.”

“That’s good, I was about to order a cup of hot chocolate. What would you like?”

“I don’t know. Let me think about it for a while.”

“Sure. Do you mind if I order mine drink now?”

“No, not at all.”

Motion over the waiter, Henry ordered his hot chocolate. After turning around to face the new face he would be placing in his mental catalogue of acquaintances, friends, and family, Henry noticed that his companion seemed rather nervous. Holding tightly to her jeans and keeping her head low, as if reading the menu, Henry began analyzing and judging whether this girl was one of many Japanese who found themselves in a constant state of agitation around foreigners – Such being the case in any country where only four percent of the population is foreign.

“I just wanted to thank you personally for finding my phone. I was very worried about it. The strap that is on it is a was a gift from my boyfriend.”

Henry’s heart sank slightly at this revelation.

“You’re welcome. I was only doing what anyone would do in such a situation.”

“Still. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” Wanting to expand the conversation beyond this pattern, Henry pushed forward and asked, “So, tell me about yourself. I am a teacher here in town and I teach younger children English. What about you?”

“Me? Well, I graduated a few years ago from college and have been working since.”

“What do you do?”

“Right now. I don’t really do anything. I don’t have a job.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“It’s alright. I am looking for a job, but it has been very difficult.”

“That’s true. If you can find a job right out of college you practically become a leper to companies who wonder how you could not have been hired earlier.”

“Yes. It has been hard.” Rising from her seat, the girl took her bag and said her thanks once more before turning to head out of the café.

Standing up to stop her from leaving so soon, Henry violently collided with the waitress beside him placing his drink upon the table. Falling to the ground Henry asked once more to have the girl wait and admitted that he didn’t even know her name.

“My name is Nami. Thank you again for your help. Have a nice day.”