Demands at the Table
The waitress tapped her knuckles against the edge of the dark wooden table, her apron strings tied tightly around her waist. She leaned over the white-haired woman sitting by the window, pointing a finger toward the front door.
Rain streamed down the glass pane beside the table, blurring the streetlights outside into long streaks of red and yellow. An empty coffee cup sat on a small saucer in front of the older woman, next to a folded newspaper and a brown leather purse.
The elderly customer pulled her white scarf closer around her neck. She looked up through her glasses and explained that she was waiting for the bus, pointing toward the downpour outside the window.
The waitress did not move back. She snatched the small paper receipt off the table, folded her arms, and insisted that the cafe was not a shelter for people waiting on public transportation.
A Place to Sit
The older woman rested her hands on her lap, looking toward the dark street outside. She mentioned the empty tables scattered across the dining floor, suggesting she was not taking space from anyone else.
The waitress shook her head and pointed toward the door again, telling her that bench seats existed outside at the bus stop. Rain continued to beat against the glass with steady force.
When the older woman pointed out the freezing temperature outside, the waitress stood her ground. She told her to buy another cup of coffee immediately or carry her belongings out into the rain.
A few moments later, the waitress walked past the window table again. Seeing the older woman still seated, she stepped closer, folded her arms, and demanded she pick up her coat and leave the building.
Strength in Numbers
A man sitting at an adjacent table picked up a tray carrying two fresh mugs of coffee and a plate with a sandwich. He slid into the wooden chair opposite the older woman and placed the tray between them.
The waitress frowned and stepped up to the table, claiming she had already cleared the space for incoming patrons. The man looked up from his mug and stated that he was a paying customer, and the woman was now sitting with him.
Across the room, a couple seated at another small table watched the interaction closely. The woman at the second table set her cup down, looked at her companion, and spoke quietly across the small table.
The man nodded, picked up his coffee cup by the handle, and stood up from his chair. Together, the couple walked across the polished wood floor and pulled out the remaining empty chairs at the older woman’s table.
The Bus Arrives
The waitress marched over to the enlarged group, standing with her hands resting on her hips. She reminded them that the cafe was not a waiting room and demanded they stop occupying the table.
The man in the vest looked up at her without raising his voice, stating that they were simply enjoying coffee together. When the waitress told them to keep quiet, the man noted that everything had been peaceful until she walked over.
A large white city bus pulled up along the curb outside the window, its headlights reflecting off the wet pavement. The older woman stood up, pulling on her light beige quilted jacket and adjusting her purse strap over her shoulder.
She turned toward the waitress standing near the counter. The older woman noted that the coffee had been warm, even if the service had not been.
She turned the metal handle on the front door, pushed it open, and stepped out onto the damp sidewalk as the bus doors swung open.
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