No Coffee?

A morning without coffee.

Sandy and Kevin married about 7 months ago. They both work hard, Sandy at her catering service while designing and maintaining indoor shrubbery accents, Kevin as a mechanic who is also building a delivery company.

This morning was the usual, Kevin woke, slid on a robe and stumbled twenty feet to the kitchen, pushed the coffee maker button then shuffled another ten feet into the shower.

A few minutes later Sandy rolled over, swung her legs off the bed, pulled on her robe then to the kitchen where she grabbed a mug and stared at an empty coffee pot.

“Kevin! Why didn’t you start the coffee?”
“I did.”.
“Well there’s no coffee.”.
“Push the button again.”.

Sandy hit the button and waited in front of the very quiet coffee maker.

Fifteen minutes later Kevin was dressed and Sandy was in the shower.

Kevin yelled, “Sorry about the coffee, gotta go, I love you!”.
Sandy replied, “Love you too, I’d love you more if there was coffee.”.

Kevin went out the door with one blue sock, one brown sock, and jeans. He had never worn a white polo to the engine shop but that's OK because he was on his way to get coffee.

At 'Coffee Now!' Karen is the taciturn and efficient owner. She works the counter Monday thru Friday mornings when speed and accuracy are the most important qualities of a barista.

“Hi, Karen, I need a large, black French roast and an onion bagel please.”. Kevin realized right then his wallet was in the coveralls he was not wearing.

Karen poured a large dark, grabbed an onion out of the fresh bagel box and set them both on her side of the counter.

As any modern man would, Kevin reached into one back pocket, then the other one, then did the same with both front pockets and patted his non-existent shirt pocket. The Roman’s created this custom, at that time it was pockets inside tunics worn by rotund old men... not a pleasant ritual.

Karen recognized the manufactured panic, “Six dollars and thirty cents.”.
Kevin started with a compliment, “Your hair looks great today.".
“Did it look bad before?”.
“No, of course not. You have the most beautiful eyes.”.
“Yours look like you haven’t slept in a week. Six dollars and thirty cents.”.
“I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a coffee today!”.
“Then I’ll gladly give you coffee Tuesday and don’t ever try a John Belushi impression again.”.
“I live just down the street.”.
“There's a thought.”.
“I’m good for it I’ll be here tomorrow first thing.”.
“I’ll be here tomorrow too. Cash or card, no credit.”.
“I’m a regular can you do this for me?”.
“Read the sign please.”.
“Big tip tomorrow?”.
“Your tip and forty more years of work and I can retire. Look buddy, sorry but we don’t run tabs, NEXT.”.

Kevin slunk out of the shop.

Fifteen minutes later Sandy walked in, red skirt, plaid blouse, jeans and low cut, high heeled shoes. She was dressed for any occasion because she just couldn’t quite put it all together this morning.

“Hi Karen.”.
“Can I help you.”.
“Large black and a yogurt with nuts.”.

Karen poured the coffee and pulled a yogurt from the case, “Eight forty-three.”.

Like Kevin, Sandy knew she didn’t have her wallet the instant after she ordered. It was on the desk in the living room because every morning just before leaving she goes to the kitchen, takes a last sip of coffee, rinses her mug, puts it in the sink, then through the living room, picks up her wallet and walks out the door, always, never fails. This morning, no coffee, no wallet.

Sandy started the time honored tradition of rummaging through her purse.

She looked up and smiled at Karen, “Love your nails.”.
“Yep, eight dollars forty-three.”.
“Do you take Apple pay?”.
“Does it say so on the sign?”.
“I don’t see it but...”.
“Then no.”.
“Where do you get your hair done”.
“I don’t. Eight dollars and forty-three cents.”.

Sandy decided to try another route, she looked at the handsome young man cleaning the counter and put on the smile that has spilled a thousand cups, “Sir?”.

Karen interrupted very quickly, “George, can you help this woman? She’s wants free coffee.”.
George replied, “I gotta get to school Mom, can you pick me up after soccer?”.

Sandy shut down her smile, ‘So wrong on So many levels.’.

Sandy starts to plead, “I’ll be in tomorrow first thing with a big tip, forget the yogurt, I really need my coffee! It’s just a few bucks, can you do that for me, one professional woman to another? I’ll let all my friends know what a great shop this is. Do you ever need flowers? I can help with that.”.
“Please read the sign ma’am, cash or card, where does it say free today?”.
“Yes but...”.
“You know, there was a guy in here a few minutes ago, he had no money and couldn’t read either.”.
“I get it, I just hate people like that.”.
“NEXT.”.

That night Sandy and Kevin didn't discuss who unplugged the coffee pot or who should have plugged it back in.

wc: 865