The next time we met we were back where we first crossed paths, about a year ago, and finally had some real conversation only a month earlier.

Although she wasn’t strange at all to the place, if it was a match I would say I had home advantage.

But only because I used to clock-in daily, I mean nightly at the place, while she was to be seen and recognized all over the city. Sometimes I was among the first to arrive, sometimes I stayed until closing time. Not scarcely both.

We arrived early at the same time that day. There was another couple but they were finishing a late lunch and then we had the room completely to ourselves. Nonetheless I took the usual table, in the back, around the inner corner.

I was on time and so was she. I guess the smile we shared comprised our mutual approval for that. Not for the sake of punctuality, but for some silent agreement on the necessity of having some time alone just the two of us.

Another thing I remember was some exchanges of looks among the waiters and the fact that only Wally “the Gator” came to our table and sounded unnaturally respectful. I liked that.

As I said she was not as regular as myself, but she knew all the waiters and was known by them all. I’m sure she noticed they were kind of happy to see us together, like wondering if we were “together”.

After a few moments we were back to our previous conversation, like we hadn’t been a whole week apart.