I was the last person standing in a long que outside the phone company building, waiting to get in to pay my internet bill. The payments section was overcrowded inside, hence the build-up outside on the pavement - there was a line in there as well, leading to the tellers. I turned away to the side, preferring to look onto the busy street with its movement of vehicles and pedestrians, rather than look straight ahead at the boring backs of other people in the line. I saw an attractive, classy looking mature lady waiting for an ease in traffic to cross the street. She was looking exceptionally pretty in a blue and white, sleeveless, floral sun dress that stopped a couple of inches or so above her knees.
I watched the frustrating movement of vehicles and found myself becoming just as anxious as the waiting woman, for a break in the traffic. Finally, a courteous driver noticing her plight, stopped, and allowed her to cross. Her thankful smile to the driver was, to my eyes, a sight of pure, sensual delight. She crossed right in front of me and stepped onto the pavement. She saw me looking at her and made a mannerly nod and a whispered "good morning." I returned her greeting. Her eyes held mine for a moment, followed by a quick look over, before looking away quickly, as if stung. I wondered if she knew me or saw in me a resemblance to someone she knew.
She looked dejectedly at the line, which had since extended behind me by about a dozen or more persons. Stepping out a bit and looking back, I saw her go to the end of the line, and immediately look in my direction, her light brown eyes taking me in as much as I was taking her in; we both smiled, She dragged her attention away from me, almost forcibly, like a child caught in a naughty act, but still wanting to complete it. Despite the much evident grey intermixed with brown in the curls of her low-cut afro hairdo, her face was almost creaseless, and I guessed that she was in her early fifties. I felt a thrill and an urgent need to get to know her.
A guard came out and said all senior citizens sixty and over, were to come to the door, with I.D cards out, to verify age. I hesitated, not wanting to go in and leave the pretty lady outside, which might lessen my chances of chatting her up. But when I saw her step out of the line, I did the same. We stood close to each other at the door. The guard looked at my I.D and said "Seventy, go in ... but you don't look so old sir."
I smiled, and said: "thank you, fellow youngster," which made her laugh.
She took the lady's ID, and I heard her say, "62, go in."
There were two short lines marked senior citizens only. I waited until she joined one and got behind her. She turned around and smiling, said:
"I Can't believe you're 70, you look like 60 or less, wow, what do you eat?"
"And I definitely wouldn't have guessed you to be 62, you look 50 or thereabouts." I replied.
She laughed. "Liar, the guard didn't tell me what she told you."
"Blame it on jealousy ... or maybe because you are a woman, and she didn't want you to think she was hitting on you." I said.
When she was finished paying her bill, I stepped out of the line and headed for the teller. The stunning mature lady smiled and nodded as she was walking past me.
"Have a nice day," she said.
I looked back and noticed the unhurried manner in which she was walking. She stopped suddenly and looked into her bag as if she were looking for something. She rummaged in the bag for a while before lazily walking off. I liked that, and wondered if she always walked so casually, because I was hoping to catch up with her outside.
To my utter consternation, the teller put down my card and asked me to give her a minute. She left her post and went through a door into an office. Following a hunch, based on the thoughts I was indulging about the pretty mature lady, I went into my wallet and retrieved a pill card. I pressed out a little yellow one, which I popped into my mouth and swallowed. I always walk with back up, knowing that at my age, the body could be unpredictably slothful at times.
My wife and I had drifted apart years ago, so, I would occasionally pick up whatever was easily available, young, or old. I didn't want a permanent affair and wasn't looking for love, just some pussy every now and then. I'd always been a master of the pickup, and had honed that ability to an art. I was in good shape from working out at least three days a week with weights, and eating healthy, no added sugar and little fats. Also, I didn't smoke or drink. And I dressed young, without being ridiculous. The teller returned about five minutes later.
Outside, I spotted the lady a little way down the street, she seemed to be deliberately lingering, looking about as if undecided about something.
"You seem undecided about what to do.?" I said, as I caught up with her.
"Oh, hi ... yes ... you know how it is with us type of youngsters when it comes to making up our minds about anything ... The minibuses sometimes take a chance and come through here in search of passengers. I'm wondering whether to wait here or go to the bus park," she said, killing me with a smile.
"Where are you going?" I asked'
"To Brookton."
Brookton was about ten miles outside the city.
"Oh, then I can give you a lift, I'm heading that way, past there actually," I said, smoothly pulling off a little white lie, as I actually lived about three miles before there.
"Ok, thanks." She said, delightedly, after a moment's hesitation, during which she had seemed to be pondering my invitation.
I smiled inside, thinking how quickly she had made up her mind to accept the lift. We walked to where my car was parked around the corner.
"I Can't believe I'm accepting a lift from a total stranger in these dangerous times," she said, chuckling, when seated in the car.
"You can tell that this stranger is too old to be dangerous," I responded.
"Dangerous behaviour doesn't exactly come with a sell by date," she said, chuckling again.
On the way, I stopped at a little store where I usually bought fruits, fresh fruit juices and nuts. I returned to the car and handed her a bag. I had gotten for her the same stuff I'd bought for myself.
"Oh, thank you," she said, sweetly.
A few minutes later I diverted to the stretch of road along the seawall. She turned and looked at me, a hint of concern on her face.