Small Town SEAL's Saving Grace_An Older Man Younger Woman Romance Read online

  The last 400 yards to Jeremiah’s back door are a dead out sprint. I touch the door signaling completion and hit the timer button on my Timex. Exactly 5k and 17:51. Exactly a minute off my best time, but a good first run.

  I was still breathing hard, but wanted to knock out some push-ups and leg kicks in the grass. By the time I was done I was exhausted.

  “Somebody’s up early today.” Jeremiah says as I walk into the kitchen.

  “Needed to get the body moving. Feeling alive now.”

  “Guess you won’t be needing a coffee then.”

  “Not at all.”

  “Is your phone in the living room? I think I heard a beep while you were out.”

  “It is. Maybe it’s Rachel.”

  I go to my phone and scroll to the messages. Nothing there. I swiped left and noticed the number one above my Gmail inbox notifications. I click on it.

  Caleb,

  Where to begin? First of all I’m sorry for what happened between us. It wasn’t right and I apologize. I should have been more careful before I jumped to conclusions. If you’re free later this week maybe we can grab a coffee. I’d really like that.

  Grace

  Your Photo Booth Funny Face Feline

  P.S. I got your email from Emily

  “You get the rental?” Jeremiah asks from back in the kitchen.

  “Not about that.”

  “Really? So you’re already filling up that new phone of yours with lady callers?”

  “Not callers. Caller.”

  “Somebody special?”

  “Yes. Grace. She wants to meet for coffee.”

  “Great. That turned around fast. I guess your visit helped to put things right.”

  “Maybe. I guess we’ll see.”

  “Are you going to accept?”

  “Yes. I want to get this sorted out once and for all. And get that spark fired back up.”

  “Great.”

  “Only one problem.” I say.

  “Which is?”

  “I don’t know any coffee shops.”

  “Easy. There is a bunch in town. Take her to Feisty Fido’s.”

  I laugh. “Feisty Fido’s? What the heck is that all about?”

  “Owner has a dog named Fido.”

  “Not exactly original.”

  “True, but this is no ordinary dog.”

  “How so?”

  “You don’t finish your drink and he blocks the exit when you go to leave.”

  “You’ve got to be joking me. How would a dog even know you didn’t finish your coffee?”

  “They serve all drinks in double walled glasses. He can see.”

  “Yeah, but you’re at a table. He’s on the ground.”

  “Everyone’s on the ground.”

  “Why would everyone be on the ground?”

  “Japanese place. The guy who runs it is an old codger from Japan. Kind of an ornery, grumpy guy, but that’s his charm. He’s revered in the community.”

  “So let me get this straight. You have an angry Japanese guy running a coffee shop and everybody thinks he’s great?”

  “It’s technically a tea house, but he also has great coffees. Some he grows with hydroponics in a green house behind the shop. He arrives at his shop at 4 a.m. every day. Cleans the entire sidewalk, picks up any trash in the area, washes the windows, and even puts out water and some food for the animals in the area. I would have never known if I hadn’t passed by on a few late night summer runs.”

  “Sounds like a humble guy.”

  “100%. And that’s why people love him.”

  “Wait. You run at night?”

  “Sometimes.”

  “What about Jill? You leave her here?”

  “No way. She comes with me?”

  “Your twelve year old daughter goes on runs around 4 a.m.?”

  “Sometimes when I can’t sleep or when I’m returning from a mission my body clock is off. She might hear me and come into the living room where I’ll be reading a book. We’ll talk and sometimes she suggests a run. To get the day started off right.”

  “Wow. She really is a mover and shaker.”

  “You can say that again. Her energy knows no limits.”

  “Ok. So Feisty Fido’s it is. Just not at 4 a.m.”

  We both laugh.

  “Good choice. You can’t go wrong there, but just to let you know you can’t pick your drink.”

  “This gets even weirder. What do you mean?”

  “You just tell him what you want, coffee or tea or whatever, and he brings it to you.”

  “But how does he know what type?”

  “He looks at you for a few seconds. He says he can tell if you have any deficiencies and will base the selection on that. Or if not he picks something that makes sense based on the season or other factors.”

  “So basically what he says goes?”

  “Not basically. That’s how it is.”

  “And if you don’t like it?”

  “You don’t pay, but I think you’d never be welcomed back again.”

  “But you’re not sure?”

  “No, because I’ve never heard of anyone not paying. The guy is spot on with his choices. Sometimes when you’re drinking what he brings you you’re not 100% sure, but shortly after you finish your body feels really good.”

  “Does he serve any food?”

  “No. Just edamame.”

  “Beans?”

  “Come one man. Get some culture.”

  “Says the corn fed Midwest boy living in the middle of the Heartland of America.”

  “True, but this corn fed boy has been all over the world. And he paid attention!”

  “Point taken.”

  “And attention to other things than just girls.”

  “OK, OK. I get it.”

  I walk out the back door with my phone and hit reply on the message.

  We can go to Feisty Fido’s tomorrow at 7 p.m.

  Send.

  That was easy. It did feel strange to write in civilian time though. Been a few years since I thought in anything other than 24 hour days.

  Beep.

  Wow. She already replied.

  See you then.

  My heartbeat picks up. It was confirmed. Our first real date, or at least a chance to set things straight. This was going to be interesting to say the least.

  CHAPTER 8

  I decided to walk into town. It was a beautiful day and the walk would calm me before meeting with Grace. I couldn’t help but wonder why I hadn’t heard back from Rachel yet. She did say the owner was out of town, but I was expecting to hear back from her at the end of the day at the latest. By her promptness I guessed likely even sooner, but it wasn’t to be.

  I arrive in front of Feisty Fido’s at 18:30. Early by 30 minutes. Old habits die hard. I decided to walk around the area for 20 minutes first to pass some time.

  The area around Feisty Fido’s seemed very quaint. Everything was very cared for and had an old, rustic feel. Nothing modern and definitely not any strip mall or McMansion feels. The shops seemed worn in, but cared for. Decorations were hand chosen to match the theme of each establishment. It reminded me of Corona Del Mar, California. Just up the road about 90 minutes from Coronado. Coronado. Where SEALs are made.

  I looked at my Timex. It was twelve till. I high-tailed it back to Feisty Fido’s. Always 10 minutes early. If you’re not 10 minutes early, your late. Just in time. I entered at exactly 18:50. My eyes immediately find Grace. She was sitting in a corner facing the door. She had already removed her shoes and was sitting with her legs crossed on the mat on the floor. I gave her a small grin and remove my shoes, placing them in one of the wooden shoe boxes at the entrance. I walk directly to her. She stands and extended her hand.

  “Thanks for meeting with me.”

  “My pleasure. Glad we are doing this.”

  “Me to. I’m sorry for––”

  “Please. Let’s leave the past in the past. You acted on the best informatio
n you had. I understand. Let’s let that go and enjoy our drinks.”

  “Deal.”

  Our hands were still together from the handshake. At the same time we both did the oversized handshake kids do when they make a deal with one another. A big sweeping movement upward and then returning our hands to the starting position. We both laughed and then took a seat.

  “I’m surprised you knew about this place.”

  “I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

  “That and I’m sure you’re trained in reconnaissance. I have a feeling once you see something it sticks.”

  “True, but I have to be honest. Jeremiah recommended this place.”

  “Jeremiah. The guy I thought was you?”

  “That’s the one.”

  We both laugh.

  “There are worse guys to be mistaken for.”

  “I’m sure. I don’t know him that well, obviously not by sight, but I loved his home. It was the perfect place for Emily and Ethan’s reception.”

  “Beautiful, isn’t it? His grandfather built that place. I’m sure it will be Jill’s one day, and then her kids, and so on. That’s the kind of place you keep in the family forever.”

  “And your family. You said you were staying in the guestroom. Do you have a home somewhere?”

  “Jumping right into the serious questions, aren’t we? And we haven’t even started drinking.”

  “You know they don’t have alcohol here.”

  “Not even a little Baileys for my coffee?”

  “Not even a little Baileys for your coffee. Takumi is all about health. I think he’s in his 80s, but there’s no way you can guess. He looks so young and fit. There’s definitely a spring in his step.”

  “That’s good. I’m also really interested in this kind of lifestyle. I want to bring something like that here to this community.”

  “Something? Like what?”

  “A martial arts gym. Targeted mostly for kids. It’s easier to establish good habits when they’re younger. Plus there’s a lot of interest in MMA right now so bringing in the boys should be easy.”

  “And the girls will be interested in it for a workout and self defense.”

  “Exactly, but I never think of it as a workout. I know it’s a common term, but I always think in terms of training. You’re training your body and your mind for what may or may not, ever come. But you are prepared. You are trained.”

  “Sounds a bit formal.”

  “It is, but that’s the truth. I can understand the value of lifting heavy weights for certain things, but for a large majority of the population martial arts, meditation, and healthy eating would be a huge step in the right direction. For some people that’s really all they’d need.”

  “You sound really passionate about it.”

  “I am. If we can just get them in the door, I can do the rest. Once they see the changes it will be too difficult to stop.”

  “They teach us that if we can build a habit in our kids for three weeks it’s more likely to stay.”

  “That makes sense, but I know of an even simpler way.”

  “Do tell.” She says.

  “Take a piece of paper. Draw a calendar. A full year. Don’t print one. Draw one. Each day a box. The number of the day in the middle. For each day you accomplish your goal you put an X in that box. The entire box. Crossed out.”

  “That’s it. It sounds too simple.”

  “It’s psychological. Once you get that chain of Xs going the last thing in the world you will want to do is break that chain. No way you want to start over. Plus people are resistant to change. The ironic part is they’re actually changing their behavior on their own, and they’re so motivated because they don’t want that chain of Xs to break.”

  “I never thought of that. That’s really interesting. Did you learn that in the SEALs?”

  “No. Jerry Seinfeld actually.”

  “Jerry Seinfeld? You know Jerry Seinfeld?”

  “No, but I watched an interview of his. It was genius. It also reminded me how some SEALs will draw a calendar in the desert and then cross off the days until they get to go home and see their family. It keeps you going and also helps with time. Since those days are so long, hot, monotonous, and repetitive you can literally almost lose track of time. So if you ask a SEAL team member how many days he has left he’ll say something like 147 and a wake-up. The wake-up just makes it feel like one day closer.”

  “Sounds really simple. Simple, but effective.”

  “Hello. My name is Takumi. Welcome to my shop. Can I get you a tea or coffee?” Takumi had arrived at our table and I hadn’t even noticed. It was almost impossible for anyone to sneak up on me, but I was so engulfed in the conversation I didn’t even notice.

  “Hello Takumi. I’m Caleb and this is Grace. Nice to meet you.”

  “Nice to meet you, Caleb.”

  “Can we get two coffees?”

  “Yes, but I think maybe you will want to try the tea. It is very good today.”

  “OK, let’s give it a shot.”

  And with that Takumi was gone.

  “Why didn’t he speak to you? Because you’re a woman?”

  “No. You said nice to meet you. I’ve already met him before so he didn’t acknowledge that in my regard. I think he would be embarrassed if he acknowledged that because it would mean he forgot who I am. And he never forgets.”

  “What’s his secret? Ginseng?”

  We both laugh.

  “I think he has a bunch of them, but he’s not going to tell.”

  We laughed again.

  “Actually, now that I think about it it makes sense. It’s like your Jerry Seinfeld calendar. He may not have the calendar, but he’s crossing off every day. Every day he exercises, eats right, meditates, interacts with people and the community…it all makes sense.”

  “Exactly. A lot of things in life are simple, not easy. We know what we should do. It’s the everyday grind of the execution that makes it hard.”

  “You’re right. I wish I could get that through to my students.”

  “Don’t they listen to you?”

  “They do, but they’re kids you know. They’re interested in their phones, sports, Taylor Swift…that kind of stuff.”

  I don’t reply.

  “You’re awfully quiet. What are you thinking?”

  “Maybe there’s a huge opportunity here.”

  “How so?”

  “I can come speak to your students. I wouldn’t wear my uniform, but I could tell some stories and show some photos. Storytelling and pictures are two great ways to inspire action.”

  “That could work. Actually that’s a great idea.”

  “And I’m a big guy, so people seem to always pay a bit more attention.”

  “You’ve got me thinking.”

  “About what?”

  “At school we just recently started a program called CardioKids. It’s a 20-minute cardio program that the kids can do at recess. We’re having a really tough time with sign-ups. Most kids would rather play on their phones during recess.”

  “Elementary school kids have phones?”

  “Yeah. It started out good. As a way to keep in touch with parents or in case of emergencies, but once they break through any parental controls and start downloading apps they’re playing games and chatting all day long. It’s like a leash.”

  “Sounds terrible.”

  “Horrible. It really is. Many are missing out on building face-to-face social skills that they’re going to need later.”

  “We’ve got to do something about that then.”

  I see a hand reach over my shoulder and place a teapot on the table followed by two teacups. Thankfully I didn’t have a flashback and flip out. I don’t like people coming up from behind and Takumi had done it twice already in less than 10 minutes.

  “Arigato.”

  “Arigato.”