Simple pleasures

The drive home from Las Vegas was killing me. There was so much snow and ice on the road and more comming down fast. In all the years that I've been driving I have only been as scared as I was then maybe two or three times. The atmosphere in the car was less than genial and I'm sure that had a lot to do with my stress level. I just couldn't take it a minute longer and decided the best thing to do, for all our sake's was to stop somewhere and just wait a while.
We walked into the coffee shop dripping with sleet, I had little pieces of hail stuck in my hair and my eyes were bloodshot from no sleep the two nights before. I'm sure I've looked better and I'm sure my appearance gave an indication of my temperment as a few people tried to get out of my way quickly. I feel bad about that, I never want to leave the impression that I'm in any way a surley kind of person, but there you have it. Making my way to the counter to order something hot...ANYTHING hot, I notice out of the corner of my eye a scruffy-looking gentleman with a chess board set in front of him. "Cool." I think to myself, "I love chess."
After what seems an eternity of a wait I finaly make my way to a nice quiet table near the fireplace, anxious to sit down and relax.
The gentleman with the chess board in front of him is in his mid fifties, probably. He has a very full beard that is more gray than not, an old, used cowboy hat that is slightly tilted down covering his eyes. I love to look at people, especially their eyes, anyway he has on a great pair of Wrangler jeans with one of the biggest belt buckles I've ever seen, an old-fashioned cowboy cut dress shirt. The kind that has the perlized snaps at the chest pockets. My Dad used to wear those, I have fond memories of those snaps.
As I start to sit down I notice suddenly my chair has been moved. Thinking this guy has taken it for himself, I glare at him. I'm ashamed to say it, but yeah, I realized then that he was pulling out my chair for me so that I could sit down. Now, I'm thinking, I must look really bad for such a gesture, however in retrospect I think this is probably just his way. His mama raised him right. So, I smile and apologize and laugh at myself and while I sit I start to watch him.
People are so interesting to watch, I find myself staring at people when I'm out all the time. I try not to be rude, but sometimes I'm so curious about what is going on I forget myself.
He is seated about four feet away from me, alone at his table with the chess board and a book of crossword puzzles in hand. Every so often he moves a piece on the board and gives a nod of the head as if to say, "Nice move. Yeah. Good job." He looks at his move and then turns to the other hand and works the crossword puzzle. Back and forth with this pattern he goes for at least a half an hour. I'm rivetted. Seriously. First of all I'm thinking how sure he must be of himself, and how comfortable he is to be alone. Second, that he is genuinely entertaining himself. No real gadgets or fast moving entertainment, just him, the book, the board and the nod. Thirdly, he's multi-tasking. A MAN is multi-tasking, enough said.
Usually when I observe people I don't often find someone just so comfortable and so satisfied with simple pleasures. This gets me to thinking about my own life and what I find enjoyable. I ponder my ability to be alone, my capability to entertain myself, and before I know it I'm relaxed. Watching him has relaxed me.
Ready with my second wind I start to stand and Mr scruffy-looking stands himself pulling out my chair. I'm so thankful and rested and a little awe-struck. I smile warmly and he tips his hat. Smiling in return he nods to the board and says with a wink, "Check mate."