Naomi, partially hidden behind a piece of morning paper in the corner of a local coffee shop, occasionally thoughtfully observed the passers-by outside. The clientele was very wealthy at that time of day and included a large number of pretty, well-dressed ladies, probably on their way to work. Smiling at him – initially in no particular direction, but with almost no intention of hiding her joy in case her gaze met those of a worthy target – Naomi casually noticed just outside the door her friend Chuck, making his way with a characteristic thoughtful frown. and an awkward gait. he was wearing a jacket of a rather unusual type, and Naomi guessed it had been bought elsewhere, as it was far too thick for the kind of weather they were both used to. With a strange mix of composure and a certain shy instability, Chuck walked through the door, approached the cashier and – his voice seeming to echo distantly from a space far removed from the speaker, the listener or the surrounding environment – ​​asked: “ Excuse me, do you happen to have time? "The clerk, looking slightly and inexplicably agitated, just as if Chuck's simple question had broken some sort of unspoken routine and rudely awakened him with his momentary perplexity, replied, "um, excuse me?" "Oh she began again, her voice finally making its way into the bar, "what time is it?" As the clerk turned to check, Chuck's eyes followed him and he noticed for the first time the large clock hanging silently behind the counter; with an expression of surprise and a hint of embarrassment he apologized, ordered a cup of coffee and sat down at the table near the counter to wait for the order. on him at that very moment and was quite eager to take it all in, "Morning really. I take it your day has just begun and you're preparing for a full day of work. How's it going these days?" Usually my boss is a bit of a moron, but I do what I'm told. We had an important project to finish that week, so I was a little stressed." Thinking back to her friend, Naomi noticed on Chuck's face an indecipherable mixture of sadness, compassion and perhaps the slightest hint of mockery, which, after a moment fleeting, gave way again to a simple friendliness, to a smile. Chuck's coffee had been called then, and after retrieving it he wished his friend a good day before making a gesture towards a nearby sofa, where she would remain, with eyes intently focused on an old tome held open in her hands, long after Naomi herself had continued about the day.