Chapter 3:
The Obese Man
It was getting close to three o’ clock by the time he sat down at his usual table in the outdoor pavilion of the bistro he had begun to frequent since his time off work. He set a bag containing the carton of eggs and a quart of milk he had just purchased inside, into the chair beside him. As he waited for the waitress to bring out his order, he scanned the crowd. He was there more than an hour later than usual, so he wasn’t expecting him. As he looked the crowd over, his mind drifted to the place it always did... Stacy. “What’s she doing right now? Is she tending to her grandmother? You should’ve called...”
Just then, his eyes focused on an individual, and like the cracking of a whip, his mind snapped back into reality. “It’s him... I knew he was going to be here!” Across the pavilion, there sat a man who was exceptionally large. He was taller than most, and wider, still, than all others. He wore tan khakis and a light blue long-sleeve button down shirt. His head was completely bald; but it looked though this was more likely due to shaving than hair-loss. By Joel’s estimation, the man had to weigh well over four hundred pounds.
Indeed, Joel knew the giant man would be there... Because he had been there every single other day Joel visited the bistro. “Normally he arrives after me, but today I’m running late.” His thought is interrupted by the waitress as she sets down his order; tuna-fish salad with cheddar and bacon over honey-oat. “Thanks.” he chimes, as she smiles and heads off to tend to her other tables. As he casually ate his meal, he trained his attention on the man, always careful not to stare. For someone of such profound girth, he’d never actually observed the man eat anything. He had the same folded news paper and cup of coffee as every day previous. He wasn’t sure why he was so fascinated with the man; he’d seen fat people before, and while this man was certainly fatter (and taller) than most, that was not what grasped his attention. “He seems...familiar. No- important!” It seemed not as though he knew this man, but that he should know this man. It already seemed to him as though they had a relationship of sorts, even though not a word had ever past betwixt them. They’d never even made eye contact.
By the time he finished his sandwich the sun was sinking past the tall buildings that stood behind him. “That milk will spoil if I linger too much more... I’d better head back home.” He leaves a wad of bills on the table, and stands to depart. The path from his seat to the sidewalk heading to his apartment goes right past the table the large fellow is sitting at. As Joel passes by, he absorbs as many details about the man as he can. The cup of coffee was all but empty. He could tell by the color of the last remaining sip sitting in the cup that he’d put a good deal of cream in it. The man’s hands were gently clasped together over his stomach. He wore a large sliver ring with an oval shaped green gem set in it, on his right hand. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was easy. The look on his face was serene; one of quiet meditation. As Joel passed by, not three feet away, his pace slowed, nearly to a stop. He slowly opened his mouth, and an inaudible grunt squeaked forth. He shuddered with a quick sigh and resumed his brisk pace toward his apartment building. “Don’t be a fool!” he chided himself.
He got back home in fairly short order; it was, after all, only two-and-a-half blocks away. He went to place his groceries in the refrigerator. “Since I had such a late lunch, I guess I can forgo making dinner.” he thought to himself. “I’ll just focus on cleaning up; this kitchen is getting a bit out of hand.” It was true; plates and pots had started to accumulate, and left unattended much longer, the mess would become unmanageable, and even, daresay, slovenly.
No sooner does he turn his attention from the loading the refrigerator to sorting the mess, then there is a knock at the door. A shiver runs up and down his spine, as his eyes become wide like saucers. “The fat man!” he whispers to himself. “Did I disturb him when I stopped... did he actually follow me all the way to my apartment... is he angry? What should I do? He slowly approached the door, his pulse elevated, he reached out his trembling hand to grasp the knob. A second knock causes him to jump back. He straightens himself back up, takes a deep breath, reaches out and slowly opens the door.
Before him stands a petite girl in her early twenties. Even though her frame is small, it carries a shapely figure. Her long chestnut hair is tied back into a pony-tail. Light freckles cross her nose and fade away under large green eyes. She smiles to reveal a set of teeth that are nearly perfect... even if her canines are a little too pronounced. Still smiling, she shifts back and forth with nervous energy. “Well...” she says after it becomes clear that all Joel can do is stand with a vacant stare. “Aren’t you going to let me in?” He blinks a few times and resumes normal cognitive processes. “Stacy!.. Come in.”
