“Hello Mr. Bob.”

Bob was how everyone called him. Bob or a variation of it but almost no one knew his last name and all were happy to stick with Bob.

That was the familiar call whenever he walked in the neighborhood. After spending 40 years in a suburban town East of Los Angeles of what was known as Inland Empire at the foothills of San Gabriel Mountains, Bob considered the place his hamlet and was the unofficial mayor of it. To neighbors of all ages, Bob was known by his first name and he enjoyed the recognition and the friendless of the people who lived around him.

At “The Store”, a mom’s and pop’s grocery, they called him just BOB with an extra emphasis on “O”.

“Hi BOB, how have you been?” The clerk would call with her wide smile as she would scan five or six items he would purchase daily for his empty home; milk, orange juice, a tiny roll of bread, tomatoes and his all-time favorite, chocolate chip cookies. Sometimes he would sneak in a bottle of merlot to drink by himself looking at an old classic movie on TV.

At his barber shop whom he had monthly visited for the last three decades, one of those that was still owned by a real barber with a colorful barber pole, he was always greeted as “Hey Bob”. The owner, Gary, didn’t like to be called a hairstylist but he knew all his customers, their demands, idiosyncrasies and was truly the last of good old-fashioned barbers whose days were numbered if not already finished. A visit there for Bob was also a time to converse, mingle and socialize.

Gary, the owner, himself an elderly and a Vietnam War veteran, would have him sit on the grandiose red chair, take his time cleaning and sharpening his tools as if Bob had a full set of hair. In truth, Bob had lost almost all of his hair and nowadays he could count the number of the remaining ones as they were sticking upright on his head, yet he made sure to stop by Gary’s once a month. Habits mattered and loyalty and friendships were most important and cornerstone of Bob’s life.

At the local diner, the one he visited daily for a light breakfast, he was known as “Mr. Bob.” It kind of made sense. His first name was Robert. The MR. part, he assumed, was a sign of respect reflecting his age or perhaps as he liked to believe his wisdom. In his late 80’s he enjoyed the sound of “Mr. Bob.”

For many years, he didn’t even remember how many years, Bob would walk the quarter mile from his one story light blue house to the eatery to have his daily breakfast.

No it wasn’t just the omelet or the coffee or the orange juice that would bring back “Mr. Bob” day after day to this old establishment right by the Interstate 10 which stretched from one side from Santa Monica by the Pacific Ocean to the other side at the border of California and Arizona.

He wasn’t really a foody person. Yes, coffee mattered. Unlike all the young millenniums he was not into Starbucks. That shop was too confusing for him. No, he liked his coffee simple like the good old days when you drank your coffee at restaurants and your only options were black or with milk.

Bob was generally a happy person, enjoyed every day of his life, never disrespected any human beings and believed his deep religious beliefs were his private matter with his God and not something he should wear on his sleeve and constantly preach.
Yes, Bob liked his simple life, heck he loved it and was determined to stay sharp until the end and never feel any regrets while he was a guest on this earth.

On this particular day, Bob sat at his usual booth in the far corner of the restaurant with a column in front that would shield him form the air rushing through the door every time a guest entered or exited the establishment. He thought about all those days that he and Ruth came to this diner. Ruth left Bob and mother earth too early ten years ago but she was constantly in his thoughts especially during his lonely walks to the diner.

Bob smiled at the thought of Ruth. No Regrets ever marrying her! No, he never had regrets about any aspect of his life.
When Bob joined the Army in the summer of 1944 and was shipped to France, he knew he was acting on his conscience and doing the right thing. No regrets there.

In Europe Bob fought and lost many friends but he believed in the cause and when he returned back to Southern California, he gained many new friends. He missed his lost friends but regret about his joining the army never entered his mind.

When Bob returned from the war, he ended up helping his father to run his hardware store instead of finishing off his school at University of California Los Angeles. He had no regrets about that either. A few years later, he returned to the school and eventually earned his law degree.

While he could have been wealthy joining any of the city’s larger law firms, Bob decided to open a firm in a poorer neighborhood and worked tirelessly to help others. He didn’t make the big bucks but looking back to what he had accomplished and how many lives he managed to change Bob simply smiled.

No way he had any regrets.

Back to now and today.

The young Latina waitress brought the usual breakfast. She knew his order as she probably knew every regular’s order that came through the door. Celina was pleasant, respectful and had a killer smile. Of course she also knew exactly how Bob wanted his meal cooked, liked his eggs over medium and the dry wheat toasted with butter on the side was always perfect.

Celina smiled at him and said: “Good morning Mr. Bob. So nice to
have you back here again.” “Thank you. It is a beautiful day and wonderful to see you.” He meant it. Bob had developed a certain sense of kinship with this hard working young woman and wished he had a daughter like her.

Indeed, it was wonderful to see Celina, also Rudy the manager and a few of the other regulars. He liked this constant part of his life when every day from 8 – 9:30 he would come here, have his breakfast and chat with all.

Back to his thoughts there was Ruth again.

Ruth always supported his career choices. In fact, she supported everything he did. Bob worked hard to pursue this smart uptown, outgoing and charming woman after he returned from the war. Back then he was still working at his father’s store. He worked hard to develop the courage to ask Ruth out for the first time and was stunned when she agreed to have dinner with him on a Saturday.

No, he had no regrets on choosing the love of his life.

Ok, there was one. The one regret was that Ruth passed away too soon and wasn’t there to grow old with him. They never had children because of some sort of injury he had in the war but Ruth stayed with him and they made a good life loving each other and helping many other families through his law practice.

For many years, he was the man others turned into for help and he always happily obliged.

Now in the sunset of his life, he was pleased that simpler things were still there to enjoy.

His only advice to all was also about regrets.

“Do what you love to do. Travel to places others don’t, learn about cultures, talk to all people not just your kind, visit Nepal, Tibet, South Pole, climb Kilimanjaro and walk Machu Picchu. Don’t wait to get old where you have time and desire but no physical ability to travel. You will then regret what you have missed earlier in life and there is no going back.

We go through life like passengers of a train on a long journey with many stops. It is up to us when and where to get off to explore and whom to befriend. When the journey reaches the last stations, it is far more difficult to leave the train or to listen to the music and feel the breeze.”

Bob paid his attention back to his breakfast, finished it and was ready to leave.

Today was a special day. It was his wedding anniversary. He had a plan for the day. He would walk back home, freshen up, call a cab, buy two red roses, visit the burial place, leave the roses on the stone and sit on the bench next to the grave, read Ruth a few poems from his favorite Robert Frost book, “A Witness Tree,” and chat with her. He liked his alone time with Ruth. Granted conversations were one way but he took comfort in keeping in touch with her spirit.

As always, Bob left a generous tip for Celina, waived to all the servers and managers, got up and slowly and firmly left the coffee shop.

**

Celina was the first person that saw the unusual scene.
Her reaction was immediate and swift: “My God someone is lying on the ground in the parking lot.”

That followed with another loud voice demanding a call to 911 be made.

Celina and Rudy, the manager, ran to the parking lot toward the man flat on his back.

When they got there Celina froze and felt tears running down her cheeks. It was him, MR. BOB. His face had no color and was muted white.

His lengthy body was flat and straight to remind all how tall he was.
Eyes were closed but Mr. Bob was breathing.

Although it was October, Southern California air was hot and it was close to 80 degrees which meant the parking lot asphalt was at least ten degrees warmer. Someone ran back to the coffee shop and brought a blanket to place under HIS body.

Celina did the same and brought her light jacket and used it as a pillow and placed HIS head on her knees. She knew she had to get Mr. Bob to talk until the paramedics come. So she started.

Within second Bob’s eyes opened and stared at the strange scene above his head were four pairs of hands were in motion, not in harmony, yet with purpose to provide comfort for him.

The cook brought a glass of water and soon the entire coffee shop staff and patrons were around either protecting him from the sun or taking action to help.

Bob stared at Celina and smiled: “Did the breakfast do this to me? Where is that cook?” Every one bursted out into laughter at this timely sense of humor.

“Help me get up, I have things to do.” Bob always had things to do and of course today was the visit day. He needed to go home, shave, change, go to the flower shop, buy flowers and then go to visit Ruth.

He was a busy man with plans.

“MR BOB, you are not going anywhere until paramedics come” declared Celina. Bob started to argue but stopped.

At that moment in his mind he surfed through his entire life like he was using a remote control fast forwarding and reviewing every major events that shaped who he was; early childhood, small house in Pasadena where he grew up, his father and the shop, great depression followed by the New Deal, Pearl Harbor attack, joining the army, Europe, V day, Ruth and a lifetime of happiness, law firm, many faces whom he assisted, not being able to have kids yet enjoying every moment of life, then the lonely days of his winter days…

Yes, he had a great time and he had no regrets for any of it.
But today couldn’t be the day to end his book of life. He had to visit Ruth, tell her about what took place in the morning and have a few chuckles about it. Bob knew his day will come where he would leave the world, like everyone else before or after him, but today must not be that day.

Despite the objections of others Bob lifted himself up, sat down and slowly said: “Damn, this pavement is so hot, get me up for God’s sake!”

With the help of others Mr. Bob sat down and looked at the worried faces of people he had learned to love and gained affections for. The sound of the siren was getting closer and closer. His first job was to convince those boys he was OK and to let him go home. He had a date with Ruth.

As the ambulance got closer, Bob turned to Celina and whispered in her ears: “Enjoy life until the very end and never ever have regrets!”
He then prepared for the physical inspection by the medics.
Ruth could wait for him a couple of extra hours, couldn’t she?

**

Celina greeted the paramedics and quickly briefed them on what had taken place. They then turned to Bob.

Once again he was on the ground, lying back with the white muted face but this time with a tiny smile. He wasn’t breathing. Paramedics quickly got to work but it was too late. Bob had reached his last train station and it was time to depart.

Ruth no longer had to wait to meet Bob. Perhaps they were together once more and this time forever!

Kaveh Mahjoob
2016, Orange County

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