Just got back from lunch. I was eating at a local diner, the Boardwalk Cafe. Had my usual BLT with home fries, Very good if you ever happen to stop by there,
I sat at my usual spot, a privacy booth which is cornered in a little section that you can only see the person eating there if you walk by the table.
Today was quiet, they had the local radio station playing on the speakers at a low volume. There was only 5 other people there when I got my food. As I ate, I heard the door open and somebody sat down at a booth near mine.
I took a casual glance over the little wall to watch the cute waitress walk up to take the person's order. I saw the person, he was looking down at the menu, young kid, probably about 16.
The waitress asked him if he was ready and the young man asked her if anybody had called for him. He said his name was Jerry and he was meeting someone here.
The waitress said she'd go check. A couple of minutes later, she came back and told him they had not gotten any calls.
Jerry said thanks. The waitress asked Jerry what the person looked like, because maybe he had already came in. Jerry said he didn't know, then he told her why.
Jerry, as it turns out, was adopted. He never knew his biological parents. He told the waitress that when he turned 16 earlier this year, he had decided he wanted to track them down. Through some investigation, he was able to get ahold of his biological father's contact information. Found out the man's name was Clark and he was a 33 year old Insurance salesman that still lived in town.
He contacted Clark through email and agreed to meet here for the first time.
A few minutes went by, I finished my BLT and fries and prepped myself. I'm 30 years old and could easily pass for a 33 year old. I did the math in my head, the real father would have been 17 when he was born. I thought back to what the kid looked like...he had brown hair, I think I could see he had brown eyes...all the same as me.
I decided right then and there...this kid was looking to meet his father, and I didn't want this poor young man to leave disappointed.
I stood up from my booth and walked around to his. He was looking out the window, waiting for his father.
I asked him, "Are you Jerry?"
He looked up at me, and I could see a certain sparkle in his eyes.
He said, "yes".
I held out my hand, he shook it, and I said, "Hi Jerry, I'm Clark...your father".
I sat down across from him. I could tell his mind was at work, that he had imagined this scene played out in his head a dozen of times, had a bunch of questions he wanted to ask, I knew there was going to be one question he was definitely going to ask, but I figured he would want to break the ice first.
Instead..he came right out and asked that question first.
"Why did you not want me?"
I took a deep breath, I knew exactly what this kid wanted to hear.
I said, "Listen, I was 17 when you were born. Only a year older than you are now. Are you ready to have a kid? I couldn't do it and neither could your mother. When we found out she was pregnant, we only had two options available to us, and you should thank your lucky stars."
I could tell Jerry knew that was going to be the answer, but my last little bit there seemed to perplex him, he said, "Why am I lucky, because I got into a good home? You're right, I did. I love my parents, they have given me everything I could ever want and treated me right".
I said, "Yeah, that's great son, but that's not why you are lucky. See, the only two options available to us were abortion or adoption. I mean, I didn't care either way, but your mom could never make up her mind. Finally, I said 'let's just flip a coin. Head, we abort the bastard, tails, we give him to somebody else.' Well, lucky for you, it came up tails."
He looked at me with a stunned face. I'll tell you, it was hard as hell not to break out laughing, but I had to keep on.
I said, "Hey, that's all in the past. It all worked out best for everyone, well, except for your mother." This time, I did let out a small laugh.
Jerry asked, "What about my mother? Does she still live here."
I said, "Nope. You see, when she was pregnant with you, I had to help her with here homework when she took her leave from school. She was only 15, you know. In her last couple of week during the prenancy, she couldn't do any of her homework at all. Practically demand that help her with it after she plopped you out. Of course, the minute you were born, she fell in love with you, but you were taken away right then and there. She was depressed when she got home. A week later, she overdosed on sleeping pills. Saved me from having to do her homework, so I guess I owe you a thanks."
Jerry was speechless. The waitress came over and handed me my bill for the BLT and fries.
I passed the bill over to Jerry and said, "Hey son, do your old man and a favor and take care of this. I got to head out."
I patted him on the head and walked out.
