I am at work tonight. We had over a hundred people on the books and the hit was very early for some odd reason, so we were all keyed up to move fast and make it happen.

My night starts out great. My first table is this couple that I use to wait on years ago at the old “Clove Valley Trading Post” and I am thrilled to see them. Hugs all around, lots of catching up sonce it has been like ten years, I bring out the pictures of the kids, tell them a brief story of Max..just a lovely time.

So now I have a good five tables or so and I am hustling about. And I happen to look at table one, which is not in my section, and this man sitting in position one just catches my eye. He’s at the end, so I see his profile, and if I come straight at him, I still cannot see his full face, but it hits me that ..whoa..this guy looks a heck of a lot like Max’s father.

REPEAT: That Guys Looks Like Max’s Father!

In my resturant. On table one? A hundred miles from where he lives?? WTF.

So I race to Patrick, who is serving that table and I say…that guy on position one…he’s bugging me out..he looks like Max’s father..what does he sound like? Becasue really, he has a very distint voice.
And Patrick tells me that he has kind of an accent..which is NOT him, but then he clarifies and says he speaks very proper English..and that is more like it.
I am still not sure, but still bugging..and I keep walking past trying to look at him out of the corner of my eye.
He has glasses on, and is dressed well..like him, but his hair I recall was more gray, and he doesn’t have on his doinky bow tie or suspenders that I can see..which would have made him a dead ringer.
By this time everyone knows the deal and my co-workers are concerned. I’m kind of flipping out a bit.
So I go outside to smoke a cig and get some control over myself. I see my neighbor and freak a minute on poor Kyle.

Then I go back, because after all..I am busy!

Double Checking: Is IT Max’s Father??

At one point I think to check the reservation book to see what name it is under and yeah, is not HIS name, but the name is pretty damn familer. I am pretty sure it is one of the partners in his firm. Still not totally sure..what are the chances really? And then too, I don’t wish to make an ass of myself if it ISN’T him. Plus he is there with, I assume, his partner, and his wife, whom I am sure knows nothing. It was a table of six, so I am not into making a scene.

Kelly, one of my co-workers asks me if I am sure. I say I am 85% sure it is him.
But I really need to HEAR him to be sure. His voice is sooo distintive and he is usually very loud and booming,. If it is him then why cannot I hear him from accross the room?

Then as I walk past, I see him talking, and I just pause around the corner, where he cannot hear or see  me. You know where this is going, don’t you?

Yes, It is HIM; Max’s Dad in MY Restaurant

It’s totally him. No doubt whatsoever. His voice. I am 110% sure. Holy crap.

Now I still have to keep working. Going to tables like normal:

“Is everything Ok here? Oh Excellent, good good ( my standard line)
“May I get you another Pinot Nior?”

Meanwhile, I am having trouble pouring the damn wine coz my hands are shaking and really, I feel like I might throw up.

And I know that I am goign to say something. I have to. There is no way I am going to let this chance meeting go ignored.

At one point, and it might be before I confirmed that it trully was him, I realized that the last time I saw him was..a year ago..to the day.

Exactly a Year to the Day That I Told Him About Max

Let’s repeat that so we all get the true significance of this oddness of the way this works:

A year ago, this weekend, September 15 ans 16, I was in NYC at the OriginsUSA Adoption Crossroalds conference and I went to HIS workplace to see him and tell him that he had a son. TO THE DAY!

Now a year later, and I have heard nothing from him in that time, he is in MY WORKPLACE!

You cannot convince me that the universe does not work in mysterious ways. I just won’t buy it….it’s all too freaking weird!

So now, I know it is him and I keep looking. Sabine, our busser, insists that he is looking at me, but I never catch his eye. Patrick says too, that he seems unglued or something, but he makes no move to acknowedge me, but now I am watching. Nadia who opened their wine, had thought he was rude, as he paid her and the wine no attention, says now it makes sense…he was just preoccupied..now she sees it.

Patrick knows not to let them go without telling me. And I am praying that he has to pee or something, get away from all the others at the table so I can talk to him. I will anyway..in front of everyone..I have the picures of OUR son in my pocket for God’s sake!

Last Chance: Contact

And then finailly..they get the bill and he goes for his wallet just as I am there, and puts the credit card down right where I can see.

And like I always do, if I see a card, I take it, and I always look at the name. Just to confirm anyway, yup…same name too..imagine that!

And then, I take a step back, as if I hadn’t been bugging out for an hour, as if I got balls of steel, and tap him on the shoulder until he looks up into my face and I say Hey…as he looks at me somewhat quizically.

And I will give him the benefit of the doubt that yeah, I was blond last year and now my hair is red ( of course I know that means crap..heck just Friday a woamn that I worked with 15 years ago stopped on the street as she road past coz she recognized me)..so I say hey..it’s Claudia.

And he responds. Oh my goodness what are you doing here? You work here?
Yup, I work here.
Really…
Yes.I really work here. ( yeah , I am a stupid waitress..whatever!)
I knew you lived in the area.
Yeah, I live just over the bridge.
Oh my imagine that.
Bland nothing convo really…quick kiss on the cheek..some remark about giving him a break on the check…not that I was going to do that! lol.

I run his card, I bring it back. Evntually they leave, a quick wave of the fingers good bye. I suppose it could have been dissapointing, but really what was going to happen? I doubt he was going to introduce me to the table as his forner receptionist that he slept with when I was 18 and had our love child!

But Dammit, I was NOT going to be un-acknowledged! No way…

After it was all said and done I had two thoughts:
One..thats another chapter for the book. I really could not make this stuff up. If it was fiction it would be unbeliveable, it shocks me that it is real!

And the other…since it was TO THE DAY that I saw him last and told him about our son’s existance..the universe definalty was saying something. And I do not think the message was for me.

I think it was a message for him..and I hope he got it.

At least he left a proper tip.