No One Has Seen The Man From Milan - 3rd Writer's Contest Of The Project Milkbox

Maria walked into the Green Harbor Police Station fuming. "What does it take to report someone missing around here"? The uniformed officer sitting behind the front desk coughed into his cup of coffee. Maria's sudden outburst caught him mid-sip and he looked down at his caffeine-stained trousers in frustration.

In a second he looked back up with his composure regained and met Maria's scrutinizing stare. "I'll pull the forms up for you to begin filling out. You can have a seat if there's space available, but we're not likely to get to you anytime soon". Maria took stock of her surroundings for the first time since entering the station.

She spotted an empty seat in a room packed with people next to a robust elderly man. "Is this seat taken", she asked as she entered a cloud of noxious gas? The man shrugged and reluctantly moved his ass at least an inch to make room. Maria's hopes of ever finding the kindest gentleman she'd ever met, the man from Milan, sank along with her descent into that police station waiting room chair.

They Had Shared A Picnic Lunch Only A Few Days Prior

 
Maria had planned it all out. The old man from Milan (as someone had told her months ago) came into the small Italian bakery she worked at nearly every day. She would pass him sitting on the grass at the neighborhood park on her way home, quietly eating his baguette.

"Are you saving this patch of lawn for someone", she asked and startled him out of his reverie? The old man from Milan either didn't speak or the cat had his tongue. He shook his head slightly from side to side. "Well, I brought us a snack and a patch for the grass...if you don't mind". Maria snapped forth a blanket as she spoke, laid it out and plopped down her picnic basket.

 
"Try some of this Pecorino Toscano that came into our store last week". Maria spread a few types of Italian cheese out on a plate before them. "May I interest you in a small sample of Pinot Grigio to help wash that down? Your baguette looks very dry all by itself".

In Shock & Awe, The Man From Milan Found His Voice

 
"The Lord is with you dear child. I cannot remember a time such a blessing was brought before me, nor offered in such a heartfelt manner". His words lifted Maria's already brilliant smile and she replied, "Oh goodness. I was hoping you wouldn't take me for being pushy. You see, I have no one to share lunch with either".

"Precious girl. Eating and sitting alone never bothers me, but I'll cherish this lunch with you here on our grassy table". He laughed and Maria could hear the voice of a young man as the breeze carried his joy away. "How is it that you've come to stop by our bakery and eat in this park every day? Here I go being nosy and pushy again it would seem". It was Maria's turn to laugh now, and the man returned her smile.

He Opened Up Like A Broken Faucet

 
"I was married you know, for many years living right here in Green Harbor. My wife passed about 4 years ago, they said from a chest infection”. The man from Milan rattled away as if he had known Maria all his life.

“In our younger years we discovered we were not able to have children, so we opened up the city's first adoption home. We were well known back then before the big corporations came in and bought up all the property”.

 
“Oh, my. I would have never guessed you were such a philanthropist”, exclaimed Maria. “You have done some incredibly good deeds in your life”. The old man from Milan stopped then for a second as if deciding whether or not to speak.

Finally, with his head down he uttered the softest words. “I still do, you know? Big business didn't get my money. I got theirs, and I built it up over the years. Now I support many youth organizations across the county. Though I do it anonymously and I never really told anyone until you”.

“Is Your Name Maria”???

 
Startled out of her daydream memory of the picnic that took place three days past, Maria straightened up in her chair. Officer Lindsay, as her badge stated, stood before her with a clipboard in hand. “Are you the one who wants to report a missing person”?

Maria blinked twice then spoke with as much composure as she could gather. “Yes, Ma'am. That would be me. Can I ask you a question before we begin”? Taken aback by the unusual role reversal of interrogation the officer sputtered, “Excuse me”?

Maria sensed her opportunity. “How is it that we are heading into a new age of technology and I can't even report a person's absence for 72 hours? Then, when I finally do get to speak to someone about it, they show up with a clipboard”?

 
Officer Lindsey shrunk like a cat in the corner trying to avoid a bath.

“If you don't have a report, I'll move on to the next...”

Maria cut her off before she could finish. “No, no, I'm sorry, I do”.

A couple hours later as Officer Lindsey was dotting the final I's she asked, “Maria. Is there any reason you can think of that someone would want to hurt or take the ummm...the man from Milan”? Feeling rather silly at her lack of a better description, Maria answered. “He did mention that he had built up quite a large sum of money....”

Part Of A Series Of Writing Contests Put On By Project Milkbox

Visit The Original Post If You Care To Participate

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