Empty Chairs

She was a girl, named Emily, in her mid-twenties. She moved to Paris for work a few months ago. She always spends her Sundays afternoon at a close by café. It was the smallest coffee shop (salon de thé et patisserie) she has ever seen. In fact, she found it by coincidence while she was walking down Rue Duhesme in the 18th district. It has a very vintage interior design but also, the beauty and elegance of Paris city. Emile felt it for sure there. Soon after her frequent visits, she got to know the owner and they became friends. He was a lonely middle-aged man who moved to Paris 12 years ago to pursue a degree. However, his plans changed and he decided to pursue his dream. He was passionate for baking so he ended up opening this coffee shop and dropped out of school.  

Emily always sits on the same table by the corner. The wooden table with the red table lamp shade and the tiny wolf sculpture next to it. She sometimes thinks that the tiny wolf is staring back at her! She always orders coffee with milk, even though, it’s not listed in the menu. She sat there as if there was someone coming to accompany her. She thinks she’s used to it but she never will. What is it like to go to a coffee shop only to know that no one will come to talk and make memories with you, no friend or family?  

However, there was this time when she was writing and a very old French man, probably in his sixties, came into the place, he obviously knew the owner because they hugged and they were happy to see each other. Later on, he handed the owner a Disc for the gramophone in the cafe. He immediately rushed to the gramophone to play the music. Music is an international language and Emily got very emotional even though she knew very little of French. That old man noticed and, shortly, he came towards her table. 

Emily was a little bit confused in the beginning but when he smiled and introduced himself, she felt ease. All they exchanged were a few simple sentences in French. She was shy because she didn’t speak the language and wanted to express herself better.  but a smile could maybe convey all the words she hoped to say to that nice old man.   

He then smiled and shook her hand goodbye and told her that he was very glad to meet her. At that moment, she was overjoyed by seeing a stranger being kind and approached her and sat in the chair in front of her which was always empty. He left and the seat opposite from her was empty again. At that moment, that act of kindness made her smile genuinely and brought warmth into her heart.