Company

I turned around quickly, because the tap startled me, I had just drifted off into my "zone." I spun around, and came face to face with a guy I didn't know. I swirled around in my seat so quickly that we ended up nearly kissing. Quickly, I realized the awkward closeness and pulled away. When I zoomed back I got the full picture. A soldier sat in the row of seats behind me, reaching his arm out with a handful of change. He was in an Army uniform, the modern camo print I recognized from t.v. He was a big guy, but not bulky-big, strong I suppose. He had light brown hair and green eyes. He looked tired and I wondered why the heck he'd bother returning my stray coins.

"Your change?" he asked again. I was just staring at him, and then loudly blurted out "YEAH." He leaned back, and said "well here you go" waiting for me to put out my hands. It took me a minute to catch on, and then I reached out my hands after a delay. He poured about $5 spare change in my cupped hands. The coins jingled and glimmered as they fell from his hands to mine. My hands were tiny compared to his, and they filled up quickly. One coin spilled over the mound and fell to the floor. He grabbed it and said "huh - that's the year I was born." I sat there with my little hands cupped around roughly 5 bucks in change, and asked him when that was? 1980, he said - with a drawn out yawn. I thanked him, sensing he was tired and had to get going. He looked down at the seat next to me and asked "is anyone sitting here?"