They did everything together... Tom and Sarah. Today, they were meeting for lunch at the new sandwich joint on the wharf. There aren't many in the area, usually any type of restaurant offers seafood only. When Sarah pulled up, call it karma or whatever, a spot opened up and she pulled right in. It was an outdoor, walk-up window for ordering at and then picnic tables to sit at. Tom was already in line and gave a little wave to her. She walked over and gave him a hug. They were the best of friends, the kind that know they would never date each other (because they tried for a very brief moment after they had known each other for a short time) and that the other's love life was off limits for discussion or criticism. Otherwise, they talked about everything.
Sarah Keagan, 36 years old, had a demanding look about her. She always dressed business casual in oxford shirts, sometimes a jacket, and any type of slacks other than jeans. She saved those for weekends or anytime other than work. She stood 5' 9" on the money and was obsessed with maintaining proper posture. She had seen how her grandmother's height shrank and the curvature to her spine would cause discomfort and at times was downright painful. Sarah had her grandmother's crystal blue eyes, sandy blonde hair, and thin frame... being thin partly came from genes and partly from high metabolism and a nervous energy. She was always on a mission. Hyper-vigilant at times and just plain curious more often than not.
Tom Schafer was 10 years her senior and offered a balance of cool, calm, collectedness that Sarah's drive lacked. She could bounce ideas and theories around without fear of debilitating criticism but knew the responses she would get would come from a place of understanding and pure encouragement, even if the response wasn't what she wanted to hear. It was always straightforward and honest. She appreciated this quality immensely and hoped someday she would meet someone who would be similar to Tom in that nature.
Tom was slighty taller than 6' and had dark hair and very dark brown eyes. He was a medium build, about 200 pounds, not a thin structure, but definitely toned from being committed to working out 3-4 times a week. He wasn't a fanatic about it but wanted to maintain a level of fitness to some extent. When he was out hiking or hunting he didn't want to be wheezing nor sore after the activity. His father had passed away from a heart condition just 3 years ago and had never been a healthy active individual.
The line at the sandwich shop was moving along quickly and the menu was posted on the wall above the ordering window. Sarah chose a grilled teriyaki chicken sandwich with a little honey mustard, mayo, lettuce, and tomato. Tom ordered a Philly Cheese Steak with all the grilled veggies on top. After ordering, they moved to the right and backed up to make room for others to pick up their orders. Sarah was on Tom's left and as she glanced around the parking lot and picnic tables, she recognized a co-worker, Evelyn, who was a rumor mill all on her own. Sarah cringed when she thought of all the things she'd heard Evelyn say about others in their agency... not just their immediate co-workers or even their individual office, but the entire agency. Sarah had been warned about the rumor mill but had always held a belief that people create that environment all on their own.
No comments:
Post a Comment