The Barista

A Barista captures the attention of a regular

He was a creature of habit. Every morning he woke at 5:30 am. He did 30 minutes of cardio, took a 15-minute shower and allowed another 15 minutes to get dressed.  By 7:00 he was out the door and by 7:30 he arrived at The Coffee Shop.

            She knew his order by heart " which was not hard to do considering he was one of the few regulars. Every morning he would order a double espresso; tip a dollar, then retreat to the back corner booth to read The New York Times. She greeted every customer with a smile, but somehow managed to make him feel special - like he was superior to all the plebeians with their white chocolate mochas. Her smile was genuine and contagious - not one of those fake smiles that said, “Hurry up, there’s a line” or “Please, God don’t order another blended drink.” Even on his most stressful mornings, she made him feel at ease. Maybe that is why he chose The Coffee Shop as part of his morning ritual.

            He tried to look engaged in whatever bullshit political article he was reading. But in reality, he was watching her " absorbing her hypnotic presence. She had three different aprons and never wore the same one consecutively. Her dirty blonde hair always thrown effortlessly on top of her head. Sometimes a strand of hair would fall loose, softly landing on one of her eyelashes. With a gentle breath, she would blow it back into place as if it had never even been there.

            Every day she looked different but nonetheless beautiful. It was as if she was in costume, for reasons he would never know. He couldn’t help but wonder who she was underneath it all " what she looked like when no one was watching.

            She must have someone waiting for her when she gets home each night. Someone who stares into her deep blue eyes as she discloses her hopes and dreams. Someone who rubs her feet when she gets off work and hugs her when she is upset, telling her that everything will be alright.  He wishes that person could be him. In fact, each morning he can’t help but imagine what his life would be like with her in it. Long walks through the park discussing their favorite books. Trips to the beach just to feel the sand in their toes. He would treat her like a princess and smother her with faux diamonds and candlelit dinners. Every day he swears he feels a connection, but maybe everyone else does too.

 

            Then one day she was gone. As quietly as she entered his life, she left it.

 

            He asked the manager if she had called in sick, but she hadn’t. He asked if she left an address or a phone number, but the number she gave was disconnected and the address, nonexistent. The Coffee Shop was understaffed and confused without her.  The new girl messed up his order. He asked for a double espresso and instead got a white mocha. He continued his morning routine hoping that one day she would reappear. But she never would. He wondered if she was simply a figment of his imagination or a ghost, maybe a guardian angel?

            He mourned her absence for a few months. Sometimes he felt bitter " as if her departure was something personal. But eventually his routine recovered and he only thought about her on occasion. He hoped that she found what she was looking - wherever she was.

 

~

            She liked The Coffee Shop. So much so that she contemplated staying this time. The espresso machines were manual, unlike those at most coffee chains. And the eclectic, old-fashioned chairs added a certain ambience to the store.  Even the register was antiquated. The customers were polite, with the exception tourists during the holidays. She would really miss the regulars especially that one who always ordered the double espresso. Overall, The Coffee Shop fit her enigmatic persona.

            But she knew she could not settle down there. Eventually, she would get bored. The scene would become repetitive and the customers would become monotonous. Most of all she would get bored with herself, with her life. As a result, her smile would inevitably fade and she would realize once again that she was completely alone.

            So she left The Coffee Shop behind without looking back. Instead she looked forward to a fresh start, a clean slate. She looked forward to being whoever she wanted " a new person entirely. She heard Chicago was nice in the summer.