I was walking down Tolhuislaan yesterday, seeking eyes.  Two tables were ahead, hosting three people.  I smiled at a man and he smiled back.  He gestured for me to take an empty chair.  I did.

He didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak Turkish but it was clear that coffee would be a good idea.

Inside, the hostess you see in the blue and pink moved past the languages to the pouring of coffee.  I rejoined my friends on the sidewalk. 

The fellow who welcomed me isn’t in the photo.  On the left is the owner of Denizli.  She speaks Bulgarian and Turkish only.  On the right is Sari from Turkey – the only one who spoke English.  His smile says it all.

No one cared that I wasn’t Turkish or Bulgarian.  I was included.  Sari asked about Canada.  I asked about Turkey.  Passersby stopped and lingered with my neighbours.  At one point it felt like four languages were roaming around, including Dutch.  All was so well.

I had a long view down Tolhuislaan as people favoured us with their words.  Seagulls soared.  Families strolled.  Cars tootled along … quietly.

I was home.

Sari bought me another coffee.  We talked about this, that and not much.

And then …

Everyone smiled, got up and left. Two of them into Café Denizli, two others down the street. The scene was just as lovely but the energy of companionship was gone. Oh well. Sounds like life.

Easy come … easy go

Easy come back again