Mindless Chatter

“How long have you been together?” the cashier asks as he starts to check out their purchases.

“Oh, a millennium,” Joe sighs adoringly, looking deeply into Nicky’s eyes and bringing their hands up so he can kiss Nicky’s knuckles. Nicky grins, and Joe knows he enjoys this as much as he does.

The cashier laughs a little and smiles at them. “How did you meet?”

“We were historical reenactors,” Joe tells him, delighted when Nicky struggles not to burst out laughing next to him, “and we were on opposite sides of the First Crusade. He was Christian and I was Muslim. We started as enemies, and we killed each other countless times, but gradually we learned to put our differences aside and our relationship blossomed from hate into love…”

The cashier is done bagging their things and is staring at them a little disbelievingly. Then he laughs. “Wow, that’s the most interesting first meeting story I’ve ever heard. You guys have a great day.”

Joe thanks him and they grab their bags of groceries.

“Historical reenactors, Joe?” Nicky hisses as they leave, half laughing but trying to be exasperated.

Joe laughs out loud. “I think that’s one of the best ones I’ve come up with so far! Do you think he believed it?”

Nicky laughs too. “He might have. But I think we need to go back there in our old armor sometime to really sell it.”

It was nearing the end of Ryan’s shift at Grocery Mart, and he couldn’t wait to be done. He’d been working long hours lately, because he was going on vacation with his girlfriend and a few friends in a week and wanted some extra spending money. He knew it’d be worth it to be able to eat out as much as he wanted and buy some souvenirs, but right now he was exhausted.

He was so tired that he half thought he was hallucinating when two men in Medieval armor approached his cash register. Ryan shook his head to clear it, but they were still there, putting three bags of Doritos and some cereal on the conveyor belt, and when one of them looked up and smiled at him, Ryan recognized them immediately. It was the couple that had come in over a month ago and looked so in love with each other that Ryan, always a romantic at heart, had to ask how they’d met. The bearded man—his credit card had said his name was Joe—had told him they’d met as historical reenactors, and Ryan hadn’t known whether to believe him or not, but now he really did.

They were wearing the most historically accurate-looking armor Ryan had ever seen, and it even had dozens of rips and bloodstains. What was more, they really really looked like Crusaders. Joe’s partner was handing over a card this time, and with his serious expression, strikingly strong facial features, and ease with wearing the armor, Ryan would readily believe he was really a Christian Crusader. His name was Nicky, the card said. He smiled a little, and Ryan realized he’d been staring for a while.

Ryan shook his head and laughed apologetically. “I remember you guys telling me you met in a reenactment group a while ago, but I didn’t know what to think. I definitely believe you now.” He looked at Joe, and he looked just as comfortable in his helmet and turban as Nicky did in his own armor. Yeah, he would definitely believe they were time travelers.

“It was all true,” Nicky said, grinning over at Joe. The words were heavily accented, and then Joe responded with something in a language Ryan didn’t recognize that made Nicky laugh. He was absolutely fascinated with these men. Joe took the bag of groceries from Ryan and gave him a quick wink, and as they were about to leave, Ryan asked,

“Hey, can I join your reenactment group??”