"Let me at one of those burgers, "" shouted Chad as he reached for a warm burger box. Beri waited until her mother handed her her lunch and soon everyone was eating in silence. As they ate they didn't notice a man sitting down at a table next to theirs. He looked furtively in their direction several times as if he wanted to say something and then removed the lid of his large coffee, spilling some of it on the table. He hadn't thought to bring a napkin. The puddle of black coffee sat on the table, waiting to find a home on the elbow of his coat.
The Soler family was about to finish their meal and leave when the man at the next table turned toward Brad and asked, "Lived here long?" Brad looked startled and said after a pause, "Uh, yes. For about five years. "
The man nodded, took a sip of coffee and casually placed his elbow in the brown puddle on the table. "I've lived in these parts for more than fifty years, " he said. "I remember when Route 7 was a two-lane rural road, Tysons Corner grazed cows, Reston was a farm and Herndon was surrounded by corn fields. " He looked away, as if something had captured his attention.
"My name's Brad Soler and this is my wife Cheri. And, " he continued, gesturing toward his children, "that's Chad and Beri. " "What's your name?v
"Name's Harold Walkins. Glad to meet you. Nice family you have there. Don't have one myself. Never married. Most of my relatives are dead or live far away. " Harold had turned toward them and looked at each one in turn as he spoke. "You look like good folks. There's something I got to tell you -- something that could change all of our lives. Maybe turn our world upside-down. "
Brad and Cheri looked at one another and at the children. They weren't sure they wanted to know what Harold Walkins wanted to tell them, but they couldn't imagine leaving the restaurant until they found out what it was.
To be continued...
