Upon the roadside the man stood alone.

Gray road, gray sky, gray man in his long gray coat, buttoned high, shoulders hunched higher against the chill of relentless, fine, drizzling rain.  He checks his wrist where once there was a watch, now long gone. He looks to the brooding sky, trying to remember the loss of it.

The voice from behind makes him start.

"Have you been waiting long?"

Just five yards away, holding an umbrella, a stranger stands.  His tone not exactly chirpy, but not attuned to the grayness of the day either.

"Been a while," the man replies, his disinterest in conversing well conveyed he hopes, and returns his gaze to the dark, waterlogged sky. The gentle patter upon the stranger's umbrella draws nearer.

"I've been waiting quite some time myself," he says, again the almost cheerful timbre of voice is almost annoying. The gray man considers the stranger's words suspiciously.

"Where?" he asks, "where have you been waiting?" knowing that he has been alone upon the roadside. The stranger drops his gaze, "I was beneath the tree."

The man in gray takes a moment to scan their surroundings, confirming there isn't a single tree in sight. He looks back to the stranger who then adds "Oh it's gone now… like your watch."

"Really?  And what do you know about my watch?" the man enquires with just a hint of anger.  The stranger straightens "I know that it's gone and I know that you miss it."

There is a simple truth in his answer.  For a moment, they stand in silence, surrounded by the soft hissing rain.

"Here, have mine if you like," the stranger says, unclasping his watch and holding it forward.  The man in gray, not knowing what to say or do, takes it and puts it on with a simple "Thank you."

In the distance a light appears; they both turn to watch it in silence.  Slowly trudging towards them through the rain soaked landscape is… a bus.

"Is that for me?" asks the man in gray, unsure. "No, this one is mine," replies the stranger ending all discussion of the matter.  They both stand silently until the bus arrives. Windows brightly lit, warm and dry inside, the door swings open.

The stranger takes a step to board, then remembering his umbrella, turns back and offers it to the man in gray. "Take this," he says and it is gladly accepted.

For a moment they share a smile of realization then the door closes and the bus slowly pulls away.

He stands and watches it fade to a speck of light in the distance. Eventually the light winks out and is gone, passing over the brow of a hill perhaps, the only trace of it left, the shared smile which lingers still on his lips.

With lightened mood he raises his gaze to the clouds once more and is quite surprised to realize he is looking through the dark and dancing branches… of a tree.

Get a "Familiar Stranger" T-shirt. Only available for a limited period.