Calvin felt a little disappointed when he hung up the phone. He expected his wife Patricia to meet him sometime in the afternoon. But, of course, there just HAD to be a flight delay back in Pittsburgh. This vacation wouldn't have been complete without a few complications getting in the way of their own personal enjoyment. Calvin didn't let the situation damper his high spirits, however. Patricia did say that she might see him a few hours before midnight. So when he hung up and put his smartphone back in his pocket, Calvin left his hotel room and took the elevator.
One of the lounges had been located on the fifteenth floor of the five-star hotel. When he entered the area, he felt impressed by the urban style of the furniture, as well as the magnificent view of downtown Los Angeles. Calvin checked the time on his smartphone to see that it was only 3:18 PM. The thirty-year-old man took a seat in one of the empty recliners near the windows. He wore his black polo shirt and brown pants. He could have worn a suit, since he always enjoyed looking clean and elegant all the time, but it would have been meaningless when being on vacation.
He looked out the window to see the west side of Los Angles, a flat basin that highlighted some of the city's most diverse scenery. He spotted a business district on one side, the Hollywood hillside on another side, suburban homes in the faraway center, and a thick and congested highway right down below. He had travelled to this city a few times before, and he always had a soft spot for second largest metropolis in the nation. The weather, the laidback attitude, and the multicultural panorama on the streets were just some of the things that made him feel fortunate that he didn't view this city in a more negative light. Sure, it did have its flaws, including the notion that some of its inhabitants remained stuck in a "La La Land" mentality. Nevertheless, Calvin would rarely badmouth one of his favorite vacation spots. He and his wife had such good times here, and he couldn't wait to recapture the feeling when she left the airport and made her way to the hotel.
In the meantime, Calvin just sat back and gave himself time to unwind. He looked around in the lounge to see several people attending their own premeditated episode for repose. He spotted what looked like a husband and wife sharing a little laugh on a sofa. Just a few seconds of their silent banter reminded Calvin of how he and Patricia shouldn't have stayed so far apart at this time. They would have shared a drink at the bar, if only the flight delay didn't disrupt their personal schedule.
All of a sudden, Calvin noticed another guest sitting alone in one of the leather chairs. A brown-haired man, who looked to be the same age as Calvin if not just slightly younger, had his eyes on him. Calvin gave a little nod. The stranger gave a little smile. Something about him caught Calvin's attention. The brown-haired man appeared quite handsome. He wore a dark green dress shirt that matched with his brown pants. Judging by his overall appearance, he would have been a great catch for the conventional female type.
Calvin looked away and kept his attention on the panoramic view in front of him. He could hear the faint sounds of smooth jazz in the background. He didn't mind the music, though he did wish that they played something from Mozart or Tchaikovsky at the moment. He enjoyed the view of Los Angeles for a few more minutes. He could sense someone taking a seat in another recliner right next to his. He turned his head to the left to see the same brown-haired man from before.
"Good afternoon, sir."
It seemed like such a formal greeting.
Calvin nodded as he said, "Hi, there."
"Is this your first time in L.A.?"
Calvin wanted something other than to keep up with a brand new conversation. He went along with it, anyway. "This is my fourth time visiting."
"Are you alone?"
"My wife will join me at night. She's still back in Pittsburgh, because she still had to deal with a few things back at her office. I couldn't cancel our reservation, so I had to come here alone yesterday afternoon."
"That's too bad. I bet you wish she would be here sooner."
"If it weren't for that damn flight delay, I'd be seeing her again in a few hours."
"Just be happy that she'll be officially returning to L.A. to join you."
Calvin just nodded.
The man sitting next to him added, "I'm Eugene. It's nice to meet you."
Calvin shook the man's hand. "Yeah, it's nice to meet you, too."
They didn't stop there. Their brief introduction progressed toward a more friendly conversation that Calvin felt more comfortable partaking in. For the next few minutes, they spent their time discussing their hometowns: Pittsburgh and Boston. They also shared brief information regarding their current occupations. Calvin would talk about being a staff member for a thriving corporation for as long as he wanted.
But at the moment, something distracted him. He couldn't stop staring at Eugene. Not only was he transfixed with Eugene's composed and charismatic demeanor, but his soothing tone of voice belonged in a successful nature documentary. Calvin could listen to the other man's voice all day. It did help him forget about Patricia's troubles in the airport for at least a few moments. It even made him erase the possibility of looking at the view from out the window once more.
Eugene remarked, "You know, you and I have at least something in common."
Calvin asked, "And what's that?"
"Both of our wives aren't here?"
"Where is yours?"
"She's still back in Boston. I just had a business meeting at noon, and she's going to join me tonight when I'm all finished with my work."
Calvin chuckled. "So that means we're bound to waste our time in this hotel for the rest of the day."
Eugene's smile grew a little larger. He brushed away a few strands of his brown hair from his face. "It doesn't have to be that way. No one ever said that we shouldn't be having a little fun without our wives around."
"What do you suggest we do?"
Calvin suddenly realized how Eugene's smile reached the equivalent of an enticing woman's. It seemed too much of a flirtation from Calvin's perspective.
Eugene leaned over and whispered in Calvin's ear, "We should just create our own fun. Come over to my room and I'll show you how. I'm on the eighth floor, in Room 809."
Despite the soothing whisper in the ear, Calvin had to be honest. "I don't trust you just yet."
Eugene's peaceful chuckle didn't give off any hints of possible violence. "People are always able to pass the time."
He stood up and said, "If you're not interested, then I can understand."