He gave the cashier the bill. Her name was Eileen. Funny, he knew her name the first day. She was the one who usually waited on him. She looked up at him and smiled. "How are you today?" She asked while pushing the buttons on the cash register. "Okay…It's a nice day." He absently muttered. All he could think about was the piece of paper that meant so much to him. After it was rang up, she casually impaled it on the huge nail with the others. This bothered him slightly. She looked at him, "6.38" she commented. "Um, yeah, here's a ten, give the change to Helena for tip." He passed her a ten-dollar bill, still transfixed on the paper. Then impulsively, he continued, "can I get a pack of juicyfruit, too" noticing it in the showcase of gum and mints that resided under the register. "Sure, hon.." She said and reached into the case. He couldn't believe it himself, as he reached over at the speed of light, quickly tearing the check off its spike and put it in his pocket, like a thief. She straightened up and extended a pack of gum towards Puppy. He reached out, trying to control his nervousness. 'That was stupid, what could I possibly say if I got caught!' he thought to himself. "Thanks." He said and turned and exited out the door to the sound of clashing bells. Back outside, he felt normal again. How stressful it was to eat breakfast, he laughed. He started to untie Tafari. "Shit, I'm sorry, girl" he said to the dog. In all the hullabaloo, he forgot to get his leftovers to go. "I'll make it up to later." He softly told her. The Dalmatian seemed sated by this statement, and happily wagged her little spotted tail as Puppy untied her. Such a nice, calm dog. She seemed just so happy to be with him she didn't care where or when. Puppy noticed Samuel standing outside the Box Office booth, smoking a cigar. The duo made their way over. As they neared, they received a friendly greeting. "Hi there! How's my two favorite puppies today?" Samuel bellowed. Puppy smiled Samuel was a good man. He was very liked in the community. He was even the coach of the Centreville field hockey team. Samuel was a man in his fifties, and he wore it well. The only real wrinkles on his face were what he called his laugh lines. "You get 'em from laughing so much in your life" he once told Puppy. He was a very slender, tall man. He kinda looked like Sean Connery's long lost cousin. He was one of the smartest men in the world, if there was ever a bet to be settled, he was sure to have the answer. It was probably from all the books he had read over the years. Always sitting in that glass booth, passing time. His job wasn't too tough. You see, not to many people bought tickets in Centreville at the station. Because of its position in America, it was one of the busiest stations, but it was more or less a layover point. The travelers already had their tickets, they got them from the travel agencies, but old Samuel loved his job too much to not be there seemingly twenty four /seven. Which was nice because he always had a story for Puppy. "How come your not in your cage?" Puppy joked "Didja watch Money Train last night, or something?" Samuel laughed. "No, No, young one. I'm expecting a special guest, today." "Today, on the train?" Puppy wondered. He had never heard Samuel talk about any old friends, the thought intrigued him. "Yup, today. September twenty-eighth. As a matter of fact, every September twenty-eighth, every year." He smiled. Puppy looked on the ground by Samuel's feet. There was a bouquet of yellow roses. "Wow, beautiful flowers! She must be very special!" He deducted. Samuel laughed and took a puff off his Corona cigar. "Oh, she is, I imagine." "Okay, you lost me" Puppy giggled. "Well" he started, still puffing " Let me tell ya. God, this is a great story. It's a story of true love. You see, the flowers are for a man named John. He'll be coming in on the three-thirty. He comes once a year on this day, for fifteen minutes." "Fifteen minutes?" Puppy looked puzzled. "Yup, fifteen minutes. Same thing every year. It's an anniversary of sorts. Here's the story. Back in Nineteen fifty-two, a soldier named John was going home after a long stay in the army. He arrived fifteen minutes early so he went into the diner, there. There, as I'm told, he met the most beautiful woman also awaiting her train. A different train. He said she was like an angel sent down from heaven. They had a cup of coffee and talked. They fell completely in love." "In fifteen minutes?" Puppy interrupted. "Oh yes. They were madly in love. They knew that they were part of each other. But, alas the trains came, and it was time for them to board separately, each going the opposite direction." "What did they do?" Puppy asked. "Well, they did what they had to, and with a hug and a kiss, went their own ways. But they promised, no matter what that they would meet again as soon as possible. No matter how life would change them, and it would, that it was written in stone that they would at east meet in exactly one year to the day and time. Well, life was hectic then, and they lost track of each other, but never forgot the other one, or the promise. One year to the day, sure enough, they both arrived. It was a joyous occasion. The trains still ran the same times, so they were here to the second. They also only had fifteen minutes. They went to the diner, talked, laughed, and had a cup of coffee. I couldn't help but to notice that the lady would wear a yellow rose pinned to her lapel. Myself moved by the overwhelming circumstances, I left my post, and ran down the street to this flower shop I knew of. I was much younger then, and I bought a dozen yellow roses. I ran back and presented them to her as they were to depart. She gave me a hug, and the man, a handshake. They would then split up, and with a kiss get on their respective trains. The next year, it happened exactly the same, to a tee. It's been the same way for almost fifty years." "Wow…." Puppy said in awe. "Yup, and so, since I'm not as young as I used to be, I now buy them in the morning, and wait." "That's a love story?" Puppy asked. "Oh yes, it's a true-love story. Every year…through childhood…middle age..Now in their seventies. They have shared their entire lives with each other." Samuel said shaking his head in awe. "Well, why don't they just get together?" Puppy asked. "Dunno, it just didn't work out that way." Said Samuel. "That is the saddest thing I've ever heard." Puppy mumbled staring at the ground, taking it all in. "What do you suppose they talk about?" "I imagine they fill the other one in on everything that had happened in the year. See, you don't need to physically be there to share your life. Their commitment is their expression of love. I'm sure had it have been able to work right, if it was in the cards, it would have been perfect. But I know they have no complaints." "Wow.." mumbled Puppy still lost in thought. "Well, I better go, Tafari is hungry. Have a good day." "I will, it's a good day." Tafari pulled Puppy out of the station's hallway. As they turned the corner, he looked in the window of the diner. He walked fast, but saw no sign of Helena. Probably in the kitchen. He stopped in the market past the diner, and grabbed a can of Mighty Dog food for Tafari. Made pleasant Smalltalk with the lady owner, and continued on home. When he got there, he opened the can for Tafari, and plopped on his bed. There was some old jazz band on the record player, and as he stared at the ceiling, he thought about the couple, and sighed. ***END OF PART TWO***