The old man sat in the corner booth of the Sea Side Coffee Shop, sipping black coffee in the standing-room-only little café. One by one the line grew shorter, everyone grabbing their cup of sunshine to go, while he stayed put… writing something on a napkin.
It was a long trip home to The Tiki Bar that morning. I was in a hurry to go, but not in a hurry to get going. Some days are just like that.
I’ve always thought the world shifted a little sideways when men quit wearing hats. I noticed his was resting beside him on the seat.
Being last in line, he glanced up and said, “Dolores will bring you coffee if you’d like to have a seat.”
I thanked him and sat down across from him.
He kept writing as she brought over a small pot of coffee and an extra cup. The place had quieted down, and the ticking clock on the wall suddenly seemed louder than before.
“I’m 84 years old today,” he said without looking up. “Writing a note to my grandson. He graduates college this week.”
We talked about life. About travel. About the way time moves faster than you expect it to. The kind of conversation that only happens when neither person is in a rush.
He folded the napkin carefully, stood up, put on his hat, and handed it to me instead.
“Safe travels,” he said.
I watched him walk outside and disappear down the sidewalk before I unfolded it.
The advice read:
You’ll learn, as you get older, that rules are often suggestions. Be bold enough to live life on your terms, and never apologize for it. Go against the grain. Refuse to conform. Take the road less traveled instead of the well-worn path. Laugh at adversity. Leap when your heart says leap. March to the beat of your own drummer. And stubbornly refuse to fit in.
Signed,
“The Old Man.”
I asked Dolores if she knew him. “Never seen him before,” she said.
Funny thing about life, sometimes the message isn’t for who you think it is.
There are signs everywhere pointing the way. You just have to slow down long enough to notice them.
Remember, living on your own terms is a gift. Use it wisely.
Have a wonderful day… see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing and Tiki Man Radio for more good vibes.