I’m Quite Busy Right Now

The men at the table next to me are talking Christian. God this, Jesus that. One man is facing me. He is wearing a striped shirt; the kind that’s out of style, with bold, vertical blue and white stripes. His skin is loose; he wears wire rim glasses. The dessert case blocks my view of the second man. Now they are talking to a woman standing by their table. Stripes slumps and nonchalantly hooks his arm over the back of his chair. His mouth expands into a toothy grin. The woman is short and sports a long braid which she twirls girlishly. Her hand betrays her age. She tilts her head to the side and smiles. Her phone rings. “I’m quite busy right now,” she says, and hangs up.