Abandoned Story #1 Part One

He felt the coffee warming up the Yankees mug as he poured his first cup of the day. Returning the hopelessly stained pot to its home he turned and switched on the hot dog warmer. Taking a few sips while he watched the rollers come to life and tried to recall how long this batch had been circulating on the hot rods. A slight shrug of the shoulders ended his effort of memory because that’s what you get if you eat a gas station hot dog. Slowly he walked to his perch behind the cash register where he leaned back to rest against the wall of assorted cigarettes. Sitting down his hot mug on the counter next to yesterday’s morning coffee rings he picked up last night abandoned pack of smokes a placed a fresh one between his lips. Watching the end hiss and burn as he took in that first deep draw of the day. Closing his eyes as the wave of nicotine spread its toxic calm throughout his body. Opening his eyes to take in the beautiful scene of wild mountain ranges beyond the big store window. Every morning it puzzled his senses to see something so breath taking framed by the rotting gas station. Just like the day before he watched the grey mountains turn to pink as sun’s fingertips spread across the peaks coaxing them to life for the day. This had become his sole moment of solace since he returned to this place. Two years of consecutive sunrises. Like a prisoner wouldn’t miss their precious of hour of yard time. Somewhere in him he feared if he wasn’t there to show his soul the one beautiful thing about this place it would lose its long-fought battle to keep hopelessness at bay.

The rusty bell above the door singled to the end of his repose and announced the first customer of the day. A quick glance at this watch reviled that it was a little early for the first arrivals of the coffee club. The name he had given the mismatched gathering of the towns ancients that gathered every morning as his store to share burnt coffee and worn out stories. Some came to escape their wives, others to escapes the silence that now filled their homes. He leaned around the display of Lotto tickets trying to catch a glimpse of the mysterious intruder into his cloister. All he could see over the aisle was a bouncing tousled bun of brown hair making a frantic pace to the smell of freshly brewed caffeine. He looked out the window wondering from where she had come. While he was lost in the sunrise he hadn’t noticed the bright red jeep pull up on the far end of the parking lot. The Texas license plates sealed his curiosity and who ever this girl was who had trampled upon his serenity now fully engrossed his attention.