Excerpt: The Bucket List

Ten minutes later, her food came. She waited for the server to leave before she tried a bite of it, since she had no idea what she was even eating. She didn’t want the man to laugh at her if she almost threw it back up.
After trying it and silently gagging to herself, she pushed the plate away and looked around.
“I see you haven’t eaten here before,” a voice said from behind her. Automatically assuming that it was the server, she was prepared to immediately apologize, but quickly found out that it wasn’t the server, it was a really cute guy who looked her age. “Hi, my name is Dustin. You look lonely. Mind if I sit?”
Rebecca shook her head. “I don’t mind. I’m celebrating a wonderful day.”
“Oh?” Dustin said while he took a seat. “What makes today so spectacular?”
“Well, I met the president of the United States, which is something I have wanted to do for years,” Rebecca explained. “I never thought it would happen, but I got to cross it off my bucket list. So I’m here.”
“And why did you choose this place?”
“Uh, it looked fancy. Man, when that waiter came around I just closed my eyes and picked something at random off the menu. I still don’t know what it is because I moved my finger before I opened my eyes.”
“Well, honestly, I don’t even know what it is either,” Dustin said. “Congratulations on stumping me. I eat here every other week and I have never seen that.”
“Well, I guess that makes me special then,” Rebecca said smiling. “Wow.”
“Wow?”
“Yeah. Who ever thought I would be sitting at a fancy restaurant with a hot guy like you sitting across from me, and I wouldn’t be afraid to death.”
“Thanks,” Dustin said with a huge grin on his face. “Do you know who I am?”
Rebecca shook her head.
“My name is Dustin Drazak. I’m a pro surfer. And I want to dance with you.” He stood up and pulled Rebecca onto her feet. “Come on.”
She stood up with Dustin and unconsciously walked onto the dance floor and grabbed Dustin’s hand and shoulder. They began to slowly move with the music.
“Why are you talking to me?” Rebecca asked. “I was by myself, not eating, and I’m an almost middle aged woman. I’m not that attractive either. What made you talk to me?”
“You’re beautiful,” Dustin said. “On the inside and the out.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“No, but I can just tell from your eyes that you are a very sincere woman who really cares about whatever it is you care about.”
The music continued playing and Rebecca realized that she and Dustin were the center of attention on the dance floor.
“So do you do this often?” Rebecca asked. “Come down here to this restaurant and pick up girls?”
Dustin shook his head. “This is the first time I have ever stepped away from my private table. I have only seen stereotypical women come in here. The ones with the low cut shirts, short skirts, too much makeup. You know, girls just looking for guys to hit on them. When I saw you walk into the restaurant, I got distracted. I could just see your inner beauty. I figured when you pushed your food away you were done. I didn’t know you didn’t eat it.”
“I don’t even know what it is. I can’t eat things that I don’t know what they are,” Rebecca explained.
The song was picking up in volume, which picked up the velocity of the dancing. She and Dustin were just gliding across the dance floor.
“Do you have a problem with me approaching you like I did?” Dustin asked. “Because if you don’t like me doing this, I’m cool with leaving. I don’t have to be here.”
Rebecca shook her head, and felt herself tip backwards. The song was almost over, and this could have been the last chance she had to be around a man who might really like her.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she said. “I’ve been feeling like my life was basically over. Nothing ever happens to me anymore. I began to wonder if my life was even worth living anymore. I’ve been having suicide thoughts for about two weeks now, but I haven’t told anyone. Today was the first day ever that I didn’t. And I think it was because of you.”
Dustin slowed the dancing as the song progressively finished.
“Why do you say because of me?”
“No one cares about me enough to care. I wouldn’t even have a funeral if I died because no one cares.” Rebecca began crying, and she didn’t know why. “I’m just Rebecca. That’s it.” A few seconds before the song was due to end, Rebecca walked away. Other dancers on the floor who had been watching just watched as she ran.
Dustin ran right behind her. “Rebecca,” he said when he reached her. “Tomorrow, you and I are going to go surfing at the beach. I’m going to meet you on the pier and I am going to show you a wonderful time. Then, everything you thought about life before will change, because something will finally be worth living for.”
Rebecca wiped the tears from her cheeks and grabbed Dustin’s hands.
“I’ll be there at ten, and you had better be there too,” he said and stood up a few seconds after staring into her eyes. He walked off and Rebecca started crying again.