Chance Encounters is a series of fictional excerpts which take place in some of Charlotte's fine establishments.
Picture yourself sitting outside the Corkscrew Wine Bar in Birkdale Commons. You are holding a glass of Chardonnay and the soft scent of apple tickles your nose. It is early evening on a pleasant August night. The temperature is cool enough that this wrought iron table beneath a tree is too irresistible to resist. You sit quietly listening to the outdoor band performing a subtle mix of Blues and Jimmy Buffet on the Green. Before you, a bustle of shoppers pass by, some recently released from the Regal Theater. You can hear clips of their animated conversations as they recap the romantic comedy they just saw.
A crowd has started to form at the base of the stage, yet you are far enough away, sheltered in your little force field of tranquility. When the waitress appears with a menu and a smile, you ask for some more time, content to sip your glass of wine and remain a bystander to the activity a little bit longer. As she walks back inside you feel a brief rush of the air-conditioning and you sit back in your chair with a happy sigh.
“Excuse me, are you using this chair?”
Before even looking up you make a quick assessment of your surroundings and see that the outside dining area of the Corkscrew has filled up and there is only one table vacant, seemingly scavenged of its chairs by nearby parties.
“No,” You finally glance up into eyes that are soft and brown. Intrigued your gaze expands, rising just over six feet to take in the image of the man before you.
“I have to finish this paperwork for work,” he explains in a deep voice, “and I thought it might be less stressful with a glass of wine and some background music.”
You glance down at your closed laptop. The same laptop you have purposely neglected in favor of this glass of Chardonnay. Your eyes lift six feet again and you offer a hesitant smile and reply, “No, I’m not using the chair.”
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