Memory

She snuck into a quiet seat

in the far corner of the room

scanning the feet of people walking in

some faces drawn an long

while others filled with life

approaching the counter

Leaning back into the chair

took another swig of her iced coffee

listening to orders coming in through the kichen

the sound of the dreaded ticket machine

pounding out orders

the gentle clatter kitchen tools finding their way

in and out of the hands of underpaid workers

Breathing in the smell of fresh pastries out of the oven

The place was small

only seating around 10 at a time

She felt eyes in her direction

coming from a window

A small child

couldn't be past 4

drug along by a mothers arm

half open mouthed

passed a small toy car by an dropped it

Tugging back the mother was too hurried to notic

it sat right a the base of the window

Getting up she threw the back pack over her shoulder

and started for the door

aleady missing the comforts of her chair in the corner

Passing through the door

bent down to pick up the small car

Turning it over in her hands she felt

a certain familiarity

back to when she was a kid

watching the bulldozers at her aunts house

racing her own small car along the floor

spinning the wheels in her hand

suddenly stuck and stopped

She turned to look at the problem

realizing her own initials

carved into the bottom

Looking up

both mother and child

gone-vanished

into thin air