At The Coffee Shop
I think I have a favorite customer and another struts in. Towering heels, strappy sandals, colourful flats- even the men have taken to wearing coloured shoes now. I would never use my money to buy yellow shoes- never; not even red. But they are the wealthy of Abuja. They can afford to buy colourful shoes if they come here to buy coffee and cake for thousands of naira.
“Hey. Can I have two shots of Jack and a coke?”
“Sure sir. I’ll bring it to you.” He returns to his seat and I watch to note the table he’s seating at. I recognize the girl who’s peering at her phone. She’s one of my favorites. I used to base my favoritism on the size of the tips but over time, the flash of teeth and bits of conversation have endeared some to me more than a bulging back pocket. I turn to splash the spirit in the cups and sneer. He’ll be paying N6000 for just this but he’s not complaining, so who am I to?
I arrive at their table just in time to disturb the climax, I presume, of an enigmatic narration of some event by the boy. The girl’s eyes are glazed but she smiles genuinely when she sees me. At least, this is what I want to believe. I grin back at her.
“Would you like anything else?”
She looks pretty today. White. I see her brown leather Bible sitting on the table. Ah, so they’re coming from church. She might have read my mind because the next thing she does is wrinkle her nose at the glass I’ve placed in front of her. “Yes, actually. I want cake. This guy’s trying to force alcohol down my throat this sunny afternoon..”
“Which would you like?” I ask, as I try to stop my eyes from lowering to the lacy frills that hide her breasts.
“Definitely not those your rock-hard brownies!” Then she opens her mouth and lets out her tinkling laugh that sets me laughing too. I stand there, laughing along with her because we have a private joke Mr. Jack is clueless about.
She had come in one day with another young man with a stiff face and coloured shoes. After ordering the brownie, she had exclaimed how hard it was. I assured her it wasn’t abnormal, to which she had requested a cutlass. Mr. Stiff Face had missed the humor in it all and gasped in shock before muttering in a foreign accent- “These Nigerian girls!” She had raised the menu booklet to hide her face from him and then rolled her eyes at me and pretended to choke. I laughed for a long time after.
I catch Mr. Jack pointing a hard stare at me and I shut up; a tip would still be welcome. He reaches over to touch her hand, a subtle reminder of our positions and I clam up. “A white forrest?” He asks, gently stroking her long fingers. She pulls her hand away and says “No. A black forrest.” and I can’t help the wave of victory that suffuses me as I turn away from them.
“He likes you!” Mr. Jack says in a loud mocking whisper. My steps falter and an alien rage threatens to push me back to him and ram his pretty nose with my fist.
“So what, J? I like him too. Mind your business!”
And all is well with my world again.
I reach the counter to meet the take-over, Cynthia, ready for me. Time to swap.
“You’re here already?” Cynthia raises a brow and says nothing. Her face frightens me, I’ve never seen her smile or frown in the two weeks she’s been here. I relay the order to her and pull off my apron, quietening the disappointment of not returning to that table to bestow Mr. Jack with a smug grin.
I have a two-hour journey to the outskirts of town where I live and enough memories of this afternoon to relive on my trip.
That was such a sweet story!
(quite 'moist' infact…) :)
err.. moist?
yep. exactly like treacle! :D
look what happens when one doesn't've 2 work?! one comments 1ST on naked convos!!! yippee!!!
i think it's time 4 me 2 resign from work…
Really loved this!!! you continue to amaze…..
Beautiful write up. Can still picture it in my head :D
I love this story. Pictured it in my head as I read it.
Moistttt. I'm still tryna figure out if d waiter's shagged her or not tho :D
see tula! i told ya bout the moistness!
Awwwwwww!sweet!still thinkin about it,tryin to create a vivid picture
Aww! Very sweet. Simple. Likeable characters as well.
Yeah. It was trés nice. Even people from different worlds can look at each other, understand themselves and smile. Sweet.
Love eeet!
The story is nice and it matches to my friend story but his girlfriend's boyfriend was not a foreigner.
You painted pictures effortlessly in my minds eye as I read this piece. Excellent!
Short.
I do not like being teased. Like this. -__-
It was a good story….i think
What's up with Betty Tuesdays?
I've always looked forward to reading them every week, on mondays i go, '2mo's Betty Tuesdays'…..but now i read it and go, 'is that all?????'
something's missing these last two weeks….. the stories used to have so much depth…am I the only one noticing this?
don't mean to undermine the work put into this, but i just feel like something's different
Good read B,
still wondering why I just went Auto on assuming d Protagonist was female.
Not even the 'as I try to stop my eyes from lowering. . .' part gave it away.
Eureka ensued with the Punch line (npi).
& 2 Cynthia babe 'Why ̶a̶r̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶u̶ so Serious'?
I felt the same way too.
It is usually diffilcult for guys to write as ladies and vice versa.
The choice of words and emphasis usually distinguishes one sex from the other.
However the central theme of the story overwhelmingly suggested he was male :)
@ Frankices: Second that.
@Arthur, yeah, was a little more interesting form me too when i thought the waiter was a waitress :(
finally, from a few indications CAN YOU not see that (he was probably wearing a pair of coloured shoes too; is somewhat wealthy; and… who orders a the drink that's their own name?? camman, concieted much?) he's probably one of 'em DDs! ….And she, (living in abuja; coming in with different [sometimes foreign] men; giving not so genuine smiles at their stories to keep 'em happy; sharing private [and probably sexual 'rock-hard-brownie-black-forest'] jokes with the waiter) is probably….you know, one of the ruthless puff-puff kinds. No? :) Teenkabareet. Ta-tah, F.S. :*
Nice! But too short jor
"Sitting"/ "Seating".
There's something quaint and appealing about the story despite its apparent simplicity.
Its a good post, but tuesdays have been kinda bland. Like there's no effort put into the stories.
This would have being a lovely story for a newbie. Betty can do better ( see what I did there :) )
What is wrong with you pple saying Betty can do better?! Nothing is wrong with this story!
I LOVED it! I reeeaaaallllyyyy hope there would be more. This was fun to read.
Jack n Coke ^.^ #winning
The fact that you loved the story doesn't mean everybody has to love it or believe it could have been better. Yes?
Read all the way with a smile on my face and a vivid picture of it all….i could swear i was on in one corner just watching their table that day *interesting post