Richard

I am not sure why I remembered this, or started thinking about this but it just all came to me.

When I was about 5 years old my best friend and I played together on Saturdays at our parents jobs. Our moms' and my aunt worked in the same building. I remember when my aunt went to her boss's office and she would bring my best friend and me with her. In the back of the office was a big storage room type thing where my friend and I would run and play. I remember seeing a man who was almost always on the back of the storage room. He would be either moving boxes, standing in the elevator that was in the room or just standing there watching us play. My friend seemed to never see him. One time I remember asking her if she sees the man there and she would giggle and say "Nuh huh! You're playing!" then she would run off. I turned to the man, still standing there, then left.

I remember my aunt taking me and my friend to the same office with the man several times. At least once every two weeks. I became firmer with the man and began following him around and talking to him. He would just keep working and occasionally look at me and smile. He was about 35 years old and had dark wavy hair and black eyes and he wore the same clothes over and over. The only thing he ever said to me was his name. "What is your name? Mines Gretchen!" I said with a smile. He looked down and smiled. "Richard." He said. I giggled and ran off.

Eventually we stopped going to that office as often for some reason. I had forgotten about Richard for the longest time until when I was about 10 years old when my aunt took me there once again. When we were headed back home, I asked my aunt if anyone else worked in that office when I was young, other than the two people who worked for her boss, that is. She replied with an irritating "Nope." The same "Nope" I got when I asked my mom about the man and she assured me that it was my imagination. When I asked my aunt she said she didn't know what I was talking about. I even remember when I first met Richard I asked my aunts boss who the man was in the back. He walked back there and checked the room thinking someone got in who wasn't supposed to be there. He told me there wasn't anyone there. I was so confused and I didn't understand why only I saw him. I was sure I wasn't imagining things because when I was young, Richard caught me off guard; I wasn't expecting to see a man.

I have been thinking about him lately, his friendly presence and how he was probably annoyed with an annoying 5 year old following him everywhere talking his ear off.