This short story is from <Heartwarming Collection of Short Stories for Seniors: 2 Books in 1> by Bradley Windrow. It is perfect for seniors, even for dementia patients. Be sure to read until the end, as there’s a special gift waiting for you! hope you enjoy it!
In the sweetness of friendship, let there be laughter and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things, the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. –Kahlil Gibran.
Margaret was a creature of habit. Every Tuesday at 9 a.m., she visited her favorite café for coffee, always sitting at the same table by the window with a book. This Tuesday, however, the café was busier than usual, and distracted, she unknowingly sat at the wrong table.
“Excuse me, ” came a polite but confused voice across the table. Margaret, nose deep in her book, blinked and looked up. “You’re sitting at my table.”
“Oh dear!” she exclaimed, flustered. “I thought this was my usual table! I’m so sorry, I’ll just move over to—”
“Nah, don’t worry about it,” the man said with a grin. “We can share. I’m not going to arm-wrestle you for it.” Margaret hesitated but was charmed by his easygoing nature
“Alright,” she said with a small smile, settling back into her seat. “I suppose I could stay… just this once.”
“Well, I’m honored.” Harold chuckled. “I’m Herold, by the way.”
As they sipped their coffees, the conversation started awkwardly. Margaret, ever the creature of habit, wasn’t used to making small talk with strangers. Harold, however, seemed more than happy to fill the silence.
“So,” Harold said after a few minutes of chatting, “what brings you here every Tuesday? You don’t strike me as the type to invade someone else’s turf for fun.” Margaret smiled, feeling herself relax a little.
“I’ve been coming here since… well, since my husband passed. It’s part of my routine. Every Tuesday, I come here for some coffee and a bit of quiet time with my book.” she said.
“Same here, minus the book.” Harold nodded. “I used to come here with my wife every week. She passed a few years ago, but I kept coming. Figured it was a good way to keep the tradition alive.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Margaret felt a pang of empathy.
“Thanks,” Harold said, giving her a small smile. “You know, she and I used to play this silly game whenever we were here. We’d people-watch and make up ridiculous stories about them. It was our way of passing the time.”
“People-watching? Sounds like fun. How does it work?” Margaret’s eyes lit up with curiosity.
“Simple. You pick someone, make up a wild backstory, and the other person has to top it.” Harold grinned, then looked around. “See that guy by the window? I bet he’s a secret agent waiting for a mysterious contact.”
“Secret agent? He looks more like an author struggling with writer’s block.” Margaret raised an eyebrow.
“Touché.” Harold laughed and nodded toward a young woman in the corner with a giant muffin. He smirked and leaned in conspiratorially. “It’s for her pet hamster’s birthday. You can tell by the way she’s avoiding eye contact—it’s a surprise party.”
“Or, she’s just realizing that’s enough muffin to feed a family of four.” Margaret chuckled, shaking her head.
“We’ll agree to disagree.” Harold grinned. Then, they spotted a couple quietly sharing a single slice of cake at the table nearest the door. Margaret tilted her head, observing them for a moment.
“They’re definitely negotiating the terms of a secret business deal.” Harold glanced over, feigning serious contemplation.
“Absolutely. You can tell by how neither of them is touching the cake. Too tense.” Margaret giggled, quickly adding,
“That cake’s just a prop to throw people off. The real deal is going down in the bakery section.”
They burst into laughter, drawing curious glances, but neither cared. Their ridiculous stories continued—each one more absurd than the last. When their laughter finally subsided, Harold smiled mischievously. “Same time next week? We can confuse more café customers.”
“Why not? Tuesdays could use a little more fun.” Margaret grinned.
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