The man walked into the 

cafe

thinking about his kids. They would be the age now where they would hang out at these places. If only he could talk to them. But he couldn't. He didn't have the time anymore.

It was a crazy deal. Years ago. He had asked another man without kids to watch his kids. The other man had so much 

time

on his hands. It seemed like a good deal. But the other man liked hanging out with his kids so much that the actual father began letting him spend more and more time with the kids.

A milestone was when the man spent a night away from his family. The man without kids spent the night instead. The father had asked upon returning the next day whether his kids or wife asked about his whereabouts. The surrogate shuck his head.

That settled it. He was no longer needed. So he got in his 

Subaru

and drove as far as he could. Listening to 

podcast

after 

podcast

. He did this while sleeping at

hotel

s off the highway. Eventually he reached the ocean. The entire time he was expecting somebody to call him asking when he'd be returning. Maybe that they missed him. But it never came. The only messages and calls he received were from 

spam

mers and 

scam

mers.

Eventually he got so lonely that he began talking to the spammers and scammers. He'd then tell his online friends about them and what he'd learn. And this would make him feel good for a moment. Then his memory of his family came. Back when he had no time to himself. Now he had all the time to himself. And all he wanted to do was be with somebody.

But he was alone. He ordered a macchiato and then went into the back section of the cafe. Took out his phone and watched videos until it was lunch. Then he ordered a sandwich from a deli down the street. Then he went to another cafe and watched videos until it was evening. He took a pizza home and then watched 

The Sopranos

 again eating pizza.