I knew who he was as soon as I saw him sitting there at the coffee shop this morning, writing in his little, leather journal. He was trying to blend in, wearing khaki shorts and a grey t-shirt. His leather sandals were a giveaway, though, with the straps that snaked around his muscular calves. With those sandals, that long, blonde hair, and his huge hulking physique, there was no mistaking him.
I didn't want to be rude or intrusive, but I just had to say something to him on the way out.
"I guess I would run into you today, this being Thursday and all," I said, smiling. I didn't stop, but I slowed to see if he would engage me in conversation.
He looked up from his notebook and furrowed his huge brow. "What?" he said. His accent was Scandinavian, though I couldn't place it exactly.
"I was just saying that it seemed appropriate to see you here on a Thursday," I replied.
He stared blankly at me, blinking. I was beginning to think I should have just kept moving. "Why?" he finally asked.
"Oh... uh...," I suddenly felt very silly. "Well, uh... you know... Thursday comes from the Old English Þunresdæg. It was named for Þunor. It's Thor's day."
He smiled broadly. "Really?" This information seemed to thrill him.
"Well," I said, "a lot of people probably don't know where the name Thursday comes from, but some of us do. Thursday is Thor's day. Wednesday is Odin's day. How is your dad, anyway?"
He didn't answer right away. He was lost in a thought, staring out the window into the clouds. Just as I decided the conversation must be over, he said quietly, without breaking his gaze, "We don't talk much. I'm sure he's good." His concentration broke and he shook it off. He glanced at me, and then looked back down at his hands, a faint smile still on his face. He wasn't much for talking.
"Nice to meet you," I said, turning to go. He nodded, but said nothing.
I was probably almost a mile away in my car when it came. It was a single, jarring clap of thunder from the overcast sky. It shook the ground.
'You're welcome,' I thought, smiling.
Hello, friends. How are you today?
Later. Love.
