It’s been a really long time. She doesn’t know if she can do it. She fears she may have forgotten how. Since the global pandemic took over her city, she has been a responsible citizen making coffee at home. But now that she got her jabs, she is ready to order in person at the cafe. And then go home and eat breakfast in bed because she’s agoraphobic and people really do have cooties.
She’s been meaning to come out of her apartment for a couple of weeks now. It’s been really hit or miss sometimes. But today is a momentous day because she not only made it out of her building and down the block, but she is in front of her local cafe. She’s made it so far, she cannot go back now. Oh no, a man just came out of the cafe as she was trying to go through the door. She jumped back quick six feet. Phew! That was close.
Suddenly it seems like everyone is coming out of the cafe like clowns come out of a tiny car. And what’s worse? They want to hold the door open for her. Step away, kind sir!
Finally, there is a lull. She takes a big breath, through her mask, uses her sweatshirt sleeve to open the door and she bravely strides through the door.
“That’s enough for one day, right? Stop it. You’re a strong, independent woman. You can do this.”
She strides over to the counter accidentally cutting everyone in line. She’s mortified. She rightly gets reprimanded and sulks to the back of the line. She put the hoodie over her head in shame. Now the barista thinks she doesn’t know how lines work.
She eventually gets up to the front of the line. The barista thinks she the worst person in the world, the woman can tell. She asks her what she would like? Oh, good grief! She didn’t decide before she got to the front. Now what to do? What do cafes sell anyway? Coffee! That’s it. She’ll have a coffee. What size? Medium? They only have small and large. What the hell? Make it an extra-large. They don’t have that. Large it is!
Would she like anything else?
Would she like anything else?
Would she like anything else?
Would she like anything else?
Would she like anything else?
Would she like anything else?
She’s feeling a little dizzy. Was there something she used to have with her coffee? There had to be. What was it?
OH MY GOD! How could she have forgotten? She’ll have a great big, goopy slice of Avocado toast!
That would be $10.50.
