What's the story?

I have a confession: "I like to watch people." Yes, I'm guilty of it, but I don't watch people merely to "look" at them. I watch them because I like to imagine the stories behind their calloused hands, fashionable clothing, tired eyes, or hurried step. My "thirst for stories" has become so severe that when I ride by an abandoned house... I think, "if only those walls could talk, what would I hear?" I realize my inquisitiveness is founded in my zest for reading and creating stories. When I was in North Carolina a few months ago, my mom, a couple friends, and I stopped at a McDonalds on the way home from the ocean. Sitting across from us was a man dressed in very weathered clothing; his companion was an over-sized backpack. He sat quietly eating his small hamburger and fries; his hands were covered in gloves, but the effectiveness of the gloves was compromised by the holes. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him, thinking and wondering about his story. Did he have a home? Was he on some great adventure? Did he have a family? All these questions swirled in my head while he shoved the last bite of hamburger into his mouth and walked over to a table of guys. My ears itched with curiousity! He asked, "How far is it to Nags Head?" The guys exchanged glances until one answered, "About five miles east of here." Some muffled conversation followed...and then another guy said, "I'm willing to give you a ride to Nags Head, if you would like." A few more words were said before the guy returned to his table to pick up the backpack. I smiled at him as one of my friends asked, "Are you traveling?" He responded, "Yeah, I have walked from the Aligator Swamp bridge today; I spent the night beside it, but it rained all night. I'm gettin' myself a room tonight...need to dry out a little." My friend said, "Where are you from, and where are you going?" His only response was that he came from Aligator Swamp bridge and was going to Nags Head tonight...no other details were disclosed. With his pack firmly strapped to his back, he smiled, said good night, and walked out of McDonalds, taking his story with him. The ironic thing is...we had seen this guy walking on our way to the ocean; Aligator Swamp bridge was about 30 miles from Nags Head. What a walk! But more so...what story did he carry?!?