Twosome

The slender woman must be in her late sixties, maybe seventy, and the portly man she is with is in his forties, maybe fifty. They sit across from each other in a booth in the coffee shop without saying a word. She eats one egg with potatoes and accepts another cup of coffee from the waiter. The man hungrily shovels pancakes, bacon, eggs, potatoes, toast, into his mouth. He is drinking a large Pepsi, and when he finishes that, he asks for another.

She is wearing black knit pants, a red sweater, and sensible black boots. He is in jeans, a long sleeved green t-shirt and sneakers.

They are mother and son. When he speaks, loudly, it is clear that he is mentally challenged. The mother answers him in patient, quiet tones. Her face looks tired.

I wonder: where is the father? Did he leave them years ago, unable to handle the situation, or is he dead? Are there other children, or is he her one and only? Does her life revolve only around taking care of her adult child? What dreams of hers have been thwarted by this twist of fate? Does she resent the boy or does mother-love overcome that?

Someone else is watching the duo, too. She is much younger, but she also has a son with obvious limitations. I can observe and wonder, but this young woman looks and sees her future.