The warm smell of fresh brownies drifted across the cafe, ducking under the tables, squeezing through chairs, urged on by the fans; it flew. A gooey batch, chocolate chips still soft, had appeared on the counter. So loudly rang the placing of the tray, that Matt’s eyes glanced over, his mouth already watering, and so the enticing aroma managed to make him half consider ordering two.

Over Matt’s head, a clock's hand ticked a steady background beat, drawing his attention. For all wandering eyes, it was ten to two; she was twenty minutes late. A huff of impatience escaped his cracked lips, his mind drifting back to the crowded room.

An elderly man sat slouched at the table across from him, his broadsheet newspaper out of place in a room full of faces glazed by the light of phone screens. Matt‘s hand instinctively touched his own in his pocket. If he got it out, his eyes would be glued hard to it, in case the light flashed. His mind knew it would vibrate, but the flash came first. It was an addiction he couldn’t fight. Not to the phone. To her.

His mind buzzed and beeped, unable to fight the itch of wonder…

”...where was she?”

The old man‘s mouth let go of a cough, accompanying the symphony of crinkling as he flipped a page. Matt’s eyes darted up, accidentally catching his gaze, the man smiled at him eagerly folding the paper away.

Matt’s mind shuddered, cursing itself as the man rose, heading towards him. As soon as the stranger came within ear shot, Matt called out trying to put him off.

“Sorry mate, i’m waiting for someone.”

The grin over the worn face widened.

“Someone who still ain’t here yet, ‘ow about a bit of company, to help with the waiting? Whatcha say?”

Put on the spot, Matt’s thoughts already ablaze, he found himself nodding before reason could interject. The flame in his mind was inundated with worries and the urge to call her now - to see where oh where she was. Matt didn’t have the patience for small talk, but it was too late; the elderly man was lowering himself into the chair opposite.

The chair eeking with the slow applying pressure of aching joints, a wry smile found itself on the old man’s lips. In the opposite side of tension: a forced smile began forming on Matt’s dry lips, his hand quivering but extending for an introduction.

"Today's youth don't know how to have fun."

Matt aimlessly wagged thumb over the phone screen pretending not to pay attention to the old man.

"They're just starring to those phones. What's the cantrip of that life?"

Matt felt his head burning, he unconsciously nodded so that the old man not be offended. There's no end to the story when an old man starts to talk.

"We really knew to make fun. We were listening to real music. Sound and rhythm that made us dancing as crazy. This music today? It's not the music. There's just: t-s t-s t-s t-s... There's no emotion in that modern music."

More frequently Matt was looking towards the entrance in the hope to see her getting in. The old man's speech echoed in his head like an old pot dinging.

"Sorry," the old man said. "I didn't introduce myself. I'm Garry." He gave a hand to Matt.

Matt said his name shaking Garry's hand. Garry continued to talk and Matt nodded.

Finally, she came. Matt was relieved when he saw her. She seemed more beautiful than ever before.

"Hey, Eleonora honey! You're here." The old man got up while a wide smile appeared on his face.

"Honey?!" Passed through Matt's mind while the pressure belted his head. Eleonora's and Garry's short kiss disarranged him.

"Where you want me to take to, dear?" Garry was in a young man's mood.

"Ouagadougou. I wanna see Africa!" A wide smile enchased Eleonora's face.

"Your wish is the order to me, princess." Garry took a phone and made a call. "Hey, Jimm. Prepare the plane, I'm going to Ouagadougou."

"Hey, Nora!" Matt stood up. "What does this means?"

"You know each other?" Garry was surprised. "I just wanted to introduce you. Matt is such a good guy."

"Well, Matt, you know..." Eleonora was shy a little. "I didn't know how to say. But you're too good for me."

"He's your boyfriend?" Garry asked.

"He was till now," Eleonora said.

"You didn't say you're taken," Garry looked to Eleonora as the suspicious.

"Let's go, Garry," Eleonora wanted to go over Garry's question. "I take me to Ouagadougou."

"Oh no," Garry stopped her. "We have to solve this. Matt, as I can see, you're not a puny guy like these in the crowd around. We have to take a men's talk right now."

"Sure," Matt agreed. "Let's do it."

"No, no, no..." Eleonora tried to stop them. "Stay here, guys! We can solve this in some other way!"

"Wait here, Nora," Garry said.

Matt and Garry went out.

"So," Matt stood before Garry. "Let's solve this."

"Not here," Garry said. "Come after me. Gentlemen don't solve problems at the street."

Matt went after Garry. He looked at his nape thinking to hit immediately, but he gave it up. Garry went to a small cafe at the corner holding the door wide opened making the entrance to Matt. There was something strange in the situation. Matt expected serious solving of the men's problem, but they just changed the place.

"Two beers," Garry said to the barman.

The barman put two beer bottles on the bar. Garry took a beer showing Matt to take the another. Matt took a beer at a loss.

"Cheers!" Garry tapped Matt's bottle.

"Will we solve the problem?" Matt asked.

"What problem? Eleonora?" Garry shook his hand. "Forget her, man. If she'd betrayed you, she'll betray me."