Cherub

It was early in the night. We were sitting in a tiny New Orleans diner sharing a large order of chili cheese fries. We had sat, talking and eating for at least thirty minutes. We sat there talking about our favorite things and our favorite dreams. Just like most if not all other diners, this diner was populated with more than its fair share of characters that were much more colorful than Cherub and I. There was a small group of teenagers with outrageous hairdos laughing as one of the boys shoved a fork through a piercing in his nose. There were two old women who looked to be identical wearing identical outfits feeding each other mashed potatoes. Sitting in one of the red vinyl stools by the bar was a man dressed entirely in black from the wide brimmed hat on his head to his pointed black ankle boots who kept throwing strange glances at us. Cherub let out a giggle stifled by a mouth full of chili cheese fries. I smiled. Her freckles cheeks were puffed up like two balloons on the side of her face. “What are you laughin’ at, huh, you little chipmunk?” She swallowed he mouth full of food. “I was just laughing at the people in the corner. They’re a riot, haha. What a great hairdo.” I snorted. “Which one, the gravity defying mullet, the blue beehive or the purple Mohawk?” She smiled, “All of them of course. You know, I always thought or little town had its fair share of weirdies but this just takes the cake. I love it here. Everyone seems like their own person, you know? She continued to eat from the large pile of fries. She was right.

I looked around the diner with a new found appreciation for its “colorful” characters. We had only gotten around fifty miles from our small town and I was already seeing the world differently. I had just begun helping Cherub finish of the fries when we were approached by the man in black. He walked real slow like he had no place to be. He spoke quickly “Um, excuse me friends, I don’t mean to intrude but you aren’t from around here are you?” I could see the curiosity in Cherub’s eyes as she looked up to meet the man’s eyes. Dark, round sunglasses rested on the bridge of his slightly crooked nose. I opened my mouth to respond but was quickly interrupted. “Well, no matter, no matter, why you sure are beautiful aren’t you?” She blushed. He bought his face close to hers and I couldn’t help feel a little possessive. “Hey, just what do you want from us, huh!?” He ignored my exclamation. “Oh my, well he’s a rowdy one. Is he yours?” Cherub was obviously more than just a bit amused by how flustered I seemed.” Weeeell, my name is Silvo Horacho and I’m an artist. I’m sorry if I appeared to be staring. I was wondering if you two kids wouldn’t mind posing for a portrait if the good gentleman doesn’t mind of course.” Cherub’s eyes got all bright and I knew exactly what she was about to say. “Of course, oh, I’ve always wanted to pose for a portrait! I’m so excited!” Silvo clapped his glove clad hands together. “Excellent!” He took a pen out of the pocket of his long thin jacket and began to write on a napkin. “Here’s my address. You should come over tomorrow.” He did a low bow, turned on the heels on his pointed boots and walked out of the diner. The creaky rusted door slammed behind him.

I looked at Cherub whose cheeks were still pink from Silvo’s sweet talk . “Well that guy was certainly his own person.” Cherub laughed loudly and pretty soon we were both laughing, even louder than the teenagers in the corner. “You may not be excited about it but I am. We have to go Kristofferson! I think it’s important that we’re spontaneous. That’s partly what this entire trip is about right!? Besides, who knows how long that pretty face of yours will last huh? We had better get it immortalized right?” I smiled at her with all my teeth. “Right” She reached her hands over the sticky faux would table and placed her fingers between mine. I knew I must have been the one blushing now. I turned my face to hide my pink cheeks and caught the eye of the red haired waitress who had been watching with a smile. She gave me a wink and continued to wipe down the long counter. “We’re our own people now.”