He was two people ahead of me in line at the Dollar Store. Some people avoid places like that. I don’t. I just don’t have any extra left over for incidentals like peanuts, and I’m not rich enough to frequent this place because I have such good character that I’m frugal. My arms were full, the result of running in for one thing and ending up with five.

It was hard to miss him. He was taller than most people I’ve seen, and the thought flitted through my brain that a Nephilim might be that size. A small one. He had to be easily over eight feet tall, maybe nine. Probably. Maybe more. I’m not good at visual assessments. He turned and looked at me briefly. Maybe he felt my eyes on his back. If they’d been on his head, I would’ve gotten a crick in my neck. Wimp that I am, I automatically looked down. I shouldn’t have, because when I looked up again he was gone. Well that was a quick check-out. I didn’t even see what he’d bought!

I saw him again as I was unlocking my car. He slid into a Toyota. Don’t ask me how he fit. I lost track of him as I exited the parking lot and thought nothing more of it. As I drifted off to sleep that night, though, I saw his face, big as all get out, right in front of me. Just great. Why does your mind do things like that when you’re all cozy and sleepy and ready for dreamland? By the time my heart had slowed to its usual rhythm and I’d counted more sheep than a border collie, I’d lost half the night.

I was a little jittery the next day – maybe from the coffee I drank to replace my poor sleep or maybe from fear. Yep. I’m admitting it. I couldn’t shake the sight of him though I hadn’t seen him since the Dollar Store parking lot.

I started calling him Nephee to dissolve whatever mysteriousness I was feeling about the whole thing. If he popped into my thoughts, I fell into the habit of thinking, Oh there you are, Nephee. Where’ve you been? You missed that big snowstorm we had the other day!. Like that. It helped.

I’m not saying I was avoiding the Dollar Store, but I hadn’t been back for awhile. I finally worked up the courage to return. I know this sounds ridiculous. But you didn’t see him nor did his face pop up in front of you when all you wanted was to sleep. It was becoming a thing, and it needed to be nipped in the bud! I coached myself as I scanned the parking lot for Toyotas. Just go in and get some Blue Dawn and check out. Easy peasy.

Well you know how it is in those places. Before I knew it, I’d picked up a gift bag,  light bulbs, and an eight-pack of pens. That’s when I saw him. His tall self was two aisles over and heading to the check-out. Why was the Blue Dawn in absentia today of all days, now of all times!!! I finally found it and got in line. Of course. My place was right behind Nephee. I could feel him start to turn before he actually did, but decided I would NOT back down no matter how tall he was. I had as much right to be here as he did. In fact, more. I’d lived in this town forever. Interloper!

“Hey there!”, I said when he turned. We were fast friends. His lip curled and he grunted. I craned my neck to see what he was buying. Nothing! He grabbed a candy bar at checkout. I don’t know why I felt so angry, but I did. His presence was messing up whatever peace I thought I had in my life to begin with which, let’s be honest, wasn’t as pervasive as one might hope.

“I hear the weather’s nice in Miami this time of year. Maybe you should visit.” I mumbled.

I haven’t seen him since.

Image: baptist-standaert-mx0DEnfYxic-unsplash; beverage-black-and-white-black-coffee-2360894.jpg; Genesis 6:4; Numbers 13:33; https://youtu.be/dxZGbsP6ZeM?si=VYr3uBM5z5RFC22-; https://youtu.be/ERx-sP-Aezk?si=6VZFIX-3Nka6AW_i; https://youtu.be/1zz8_MxcnzY?si=aTNi73bVR_y5angJ