Old Hippie in 4B

“Louis, you’re late.” Brett Robleck informed me when I burst into the back kitchen door.

“Had a belt come loose in my car.” I was out of breath.

“Yeah, that old Toyota you drive is just about to gasp its last breath.” He chuckled.

“I’ll drive a Rolls if you give me a raise.” I jabbed him with a barb as I put on a waiter's smock. 

“Yeah.” He rolled his eyes, “Got an old hippie sitting at table seven.  He’s been there for about three hours.  Just coffee.”

“Great.” I pinned on my name tag. “Tips lately suck.” 

“Well, I doubt they will get any better.” Brett shook his head. “I’m going to man the host position.” 

Host position was the easiest duty on the whole serving floor, but since he had been promoted to assistant manager, he had claimed the host position as his own. It was really no big deal, but sometimes it would be nice to take it easy for a shift.  It was near the holiday season and there was no rest for the wicked.  

“Four frappes.” Jennifer Howitz held up four fingers.  

“Got it.” I called out.

“Louis, where have you been?” She asked, trying not to smile.

“Belt gave out .” I told her.

“You really need to look for some new wheels.” She shook her head as she turned to go back on the serving floor since new customers had just walked in. 

Welcome to Beezus Coffee on Main Street, just a few blocks from the Maritime Museum in Santa Barbara with a dazzling view of the ocean.  Jeb Emasuras the owner has visions of Beezus becoming the next Starbucks, but the gap between vision and reality can be as wide as the universe itself.  He doesn’t spend a lot of time in the store since he has a small part in some sitcom down south. I know if he did put in some time here, Beezus would be a much bigger deal.

“Hey Louis, you wanna check out the customer at table seven?” Marie pleaded as she put some dirty dishes into a bus pan.

“Sure.” I finished the frappe order, wiped my hands on my apron and stepped onto the serving floor.  He was not hard to spot with his wide girth and long white hair.  I’m sure that with the proper costume, he’d be a dead ringer for Ol’ St. Nick.

“Young man, may I have some more coffee.” His smile was hypnotizing.

“Management has informed me that you have been here quite a while.” I put my hands on my hips.

“I see.” He sighed. “I was just enjoying the view of the ocean.” 

“I was just making you aware.” I coughed into my hand.

“It is hard at times to find a place so accommodating.” He exhaled. 

“Glad to hear it.” I poured some more coffee into his empty cup.

“I promise when I finish this, I will be on my way.” He nodded.

“Take your time.” I walked to the counter where Jennifer was checking her nails.

“That guy’s kinda creepy, isn’t he?” She whispered to me.

“He seems alright.” I shrugged.

“C’mon Louie, he’s a creep-a-zoid.” She hissed. “I got an order to be delivered.” 

Before I could turn my head, Jennifer was gone.  Most of the people at Beezus seem to move at light speed.  When she’s cashing out, Jennifer usually has the most tips because of her precision and speed. When I look up Brett is pointing his chin at the old hippie at Table Five.  It is his subtle signal to get rid of him.

“My manager has informed me that you must vacate Beezus.  I’m sorry.” I sniff.

“Very well.” He nods with a smile, “Could you do me a favor?”

“Depends.” I shrug.

“Sit with me for a few minutes?” He requests.

I glance over at Jennifer who clearly mouths, “Creep-a-zoid.” 

“Sure.” I pulled out a chair and sat across from him.  Brett’s jaw drops to his chest as I am in clear violation of the rule against sitting with a customer, but he seems so welcoming.

“What is your name, young man?” He asks with a twinkle in his eye.

“Louis.  Louis Dredge.” I answer.

“Kind of a heavy last name?” 

All my life I have had to answer to jokes about my unusual last name.  My father told me my great-great grandfather had a heavy Eastern European accent that the clerk at Ellis Island could not clearly understand and when he pronounced his last name as Dzergerize, the clerk did the best he could and wrote out “Dredge.” So for nearly a century, my family was known as the Dredges.

“My name is Iam.” He closed his eyes and nodded. “Whoam is my last name in case you need to know.”

“What do you do, Mr. Whoam?” I asked as Brett walked by the table with an expression so pointed it would have killed me if he could use it as a weapon.

“I am spending a few days at a beach house on the beach.” He ran his finger along the rim of his empty cup. “Sometimes I just need to get away from it all.” 

“I think we all do.” I chuckled.

“So true, so true.” He joined in my chuckle. “It is no accident that we met.” 

“Creep-a-zoid.” I heard Jennifer sneer as she passed by the table. 

“How so?” I crossed my arms across my chest.

“I understand you've been having difficulties.” His eyes narrowed.

“How did you know?” I was astounded by his keen observation.

“Louis, don’t you have other things to do?” Brett did not whisper as he passed the table. The fact was business had slowed a bit as twilight fell over the beach. 

“As long as you are with me, I will not let them bother you.” He whispered to me. His tone was so certain, that I had no doubt he was capable of making this deal.  Brett did not care for me and made sure I had no doubt of that fact.  Jennifer and Marie had both complained that I was a bit slow on the uptake. He leaned back in the chair and smiled at me, “You graduated from UCLA last year?”

“You are correct.” I shook my head in wonderment as Brett snarled at me from the host position near the cash register. 

“You majored in graphic design.” He held out his right hand.

“Correct again.” 

“You were engaged to a young lady…Becky was her name?” He shrugged.

“Correct again.  Three for three.” I  was amazed. He seemed to know me better than my own father, but the truth is my father did not really pay attention to me as he was always at the office.

“I know you, Louis.” He peeked out the window as the sun hung over the surf in shards of broken golden sunlight. 

“How?” 

“You used to talk to me when you were younger, but after Becky left your life, you quit talking to me.” He tilted his head as he looked at me. 

“I prayed, if that’s what you mean.” I said as he closed his eyes and nodded.

“Louis, I clocked you out since you don’t seem too interested in working tonight.” Brett said, making sure I felt the blade of his cutting remark. 

 “He is with me.” Iam cast a harsh glance at Brett.  So strong was his glance, Brett cowered a bit and then walked away. “Since you have the night off, would you be so kind as to walk me to my bungalow?”

“Well since I am not needed here any longer, it would be a pleasure.” I stood up, held out my arm for the old hippie to gasp and then walked out of Beezus as Brett glared at me. 

“This place does not seem like a place you enjoy coming to.” He walked steadily next to me.

“I hate it here.” I nearly spit. 

“Then why do you come here?” He asked, squinting at me through one eye.

“I need the money.” I sighed.

“They don’t pay you what you’re worth though?” He shook his head.

“I keep sending my resume off to different places, but I never hear back from any of them.” I stop for a moment to reflect on my poor showing to date. 

“Bah!” He put his arm around my shoulders, “You give up too easily.” 

I was a bit offended by this remark, but he had everything else about me nailed down. 

“How do you know?” I snapped a bit harshly. 

“You let Becky go easily, didn’t you?” He smiled.

It was true.  We sat on this very beach six months ago. 

“Louie, I need to tell you something.” Becky sat back on the blanket.

“What is it, my love?” I kissed her on the cheek.

“I don’t love you.” 

Her words stung me like a bee sting to the heart.  She saw the hurt in my eyes, “I am so sorry, Louie.  Someday you will find someone who is just right for you.  I am not the one.”

“We could keep trying.” I said as she got up and began to walk to the parking lot where someone else was waiting for her.

“Becky, over here.” It was someone I did not know, but he hugged and kissed her when she got to his Mustang.  

It felt as if my heart was breaking out of my chest.  The pain was more than I could stand. 

“She hurt you very much.” Iam looked directly into my eyes. It was true, I had given up hope at that moment. My prayers were dashed like the waves on the rocks. “You must not let these setbacks destroy the hope and faith you have.”

“What am I supposed to do?” I said sharply, “Perhaps you’d better go your way, alone.” 

“I came here for you.” He tilted his head back and looked at me with deep concern, “Those I speak to have the greatest doubts until I point out that strength comes from the broken places.” 

“Who are you?  Why are you saying these things to me?” I asked in a bitter tone.

“You must have faith or you will be disappointed your entire life, Louis.”  He jerked his head, “This is my bungalow, 4B.” 

I put my hands on my hips and peered over the surf, dark water crawling upon the sand. 

“What is it you wish to do with your life?” He asked.

“Why the hell are you so interested?” I sat on one of the benches overlooking the beach. 

“Because I too was hurt badly by someone I loved very much.” He sat next to me, “It was not someone I was interested in like you were with Becky.”

“So who was it?” I brought my knees to my chest.

“A friend.  Someone I trusted very deeply, but in the end, he betrayed me along with his other friends.” As he spoke, I noticed a tear forming at the corner of his eye. 

“I’m sorry.” I bowed my head.

“As I am.” He leaned back against the back of the bench, “With trust comes betrayal.” 

He closed his eyes and let the gentle breeze blowing across the beach soothe and relax him.

“What was the name of this person?” I asked after a few moments of silence, with only the sound of the waves washing up on the shore. 

“He goes by many names.” He finally answered, “Many see him as a friend, but his intentions are evil.”

“Does he live around here?” I asked, fearing that I may have seen this stranger lurking about the area. Working at Beezus, I have met many people as customers.

“He has gained the trust of many.” He looks at me and smiles.

“I don’t want to meet him.” I shake my head.

“You will have no choice, but you don’t have to trust him as I once did.” He chuckles.

“Hey you old hippie, go back to where you came from.” Someone driving by with his window open.

“Cruelty is common.” He shakes his head. “It comes in many forms. We judge others based on how we think the world should be.”

“I try not to judge.” I say as a cool wind blows across the darkening sky.

“Try as we might, we can still fall short at times.” He chuckles.

Nobody ever wanted to be friends with Timmy Swank since he was slow in both head and body.  He did not have a sophistication needed for others of his age.  He came from a poor family and his clothes were always hand-me-downs.  There was snot running down from his nose whenever he would talk to me.  

“Hey Timmy, why don’t you go over there.  Away from me.” I would even point to an empty area on the playground at school.  His face would get long as it appeared he was going to cry.

“Hey Louie.” His sister Mable called out to me once in high school.

“What?” She was just as dirty as Timmy was.

“We found my brother last night.” Her body language spoke a clear disdain to me.

“Oh yeah.” I did not bother to hide my disgust. I was encouraged by my friends who were behind me making faces at her.

“They took him out of the ocean after a few fish had their way with his remains.” She huffed and then glaring at my friends behind me, “You all suck.  Every last one of you.” 

Dead?  Timmy Swank had waded into the waves and didn’t come out. While I did my best to act cool about it, I could not help feeling bad about the whole thing.  I watched Mable walk away with her head held high and felt as low as I had ever felt.  

“Cruelty is always done by someone else.” He shook his head, “We never see how our judgment can affect others until it’s too late.” 

He got up from the bench and began to walk toward the surf.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“For a walk.” He jerked his head toward the surf.

“Don’t do it, man.” I waved my hand for him to stop, but he kept walking toward the ocean. “Sneaker waves can come and take you out to sea where you will drown.” 

“There isn’t a sneaker wave that has got me yet.” He reached where the waves were lapping against the shore.  What happened next, I will never tell another soul, because no one will believe me.  His feet touched the water as he continued to walk on top of the waves.  I thought for sure he was going to fall into the pounding waves.  I ran after him.

“Wait! Iam, you’re gonna drown.” I called out, but he just kept walking on top of the water.

“It is beautiful!  It is grand!” He laughed like a madman, “I sure did a great job, eh?” 

I did not walk on top of the water.  The waves splashed against me and the water was numbing cold.  I began to shiver.  He just kept walking further and further from shore.  

“Stop!” I felt the water on my chest.  One wave submerged me and I coughed up the water I had swallowed.  I became afraid. “Help me!”

The darkness swallowed me. I felt my heart try to escape from my chest. One more wave washed over me as I tried to breathe.  I tried to talk, but I was gargling sea water.

Just when I thought I had taken my last breath, a hand grabbed a hold of my wrist and pulled me out of the surf.

“Those who I had called to follow me did not have the faith to pull themself from the storm.” He held me as he walked on the waves back to the shore. “His name was Judas Iscarot.  He was a good man and would have given up his life for me, but when the chips started to fall, all he had was his weakness. If he had come to me like the others, he would have remained one of my followers. So what about you Louis Dredge?  When you are called, will you have the hope and courage of your convictions or will you find your weakness as your true solitude?  Many see only the storm that surrounds them and not the hope that reaches out for their hand. I can only offer them salvation, but if they refuse it, I have no choice but to walk away.” 

The wind blew stronger and as it did, the old hippie began to fade into the nightfall until I found myself alone on the beach.  I was neither cold nor wet.  

“Louis, glad you could make it tonight.” Brett greeted me at the door of Beezus the following evening.

“Glad to be here.” I nodded as I put on my smock and nametag. 

“Do you plan to do your entire shift or do you have other plans?” He asked in a satirical tone.

“We shall see, won’t we.” I sighed. 

“Who was the Creep-a-zoid?” Jenny asked as she squirted perfume on her neck.  

“Just some old hippie passing through.” I shrugged.