Two Coffees

Manager" Gabby this is Maddie and this is her first day here. I need you to show her the ropes and how we do things here at Grant's Coffee Shop. Don't scare her away. Its hard enough to find good help these days. Maddie, her name is Gabby for a reason, she loves to talk, but she's my best worker and you can learn a lot from her."



Maddie "Yes sir."



Manager goes back to his office and shuts the door.



Gabby "That's the last we will see of him today. We don't need him anyway. Things run more smoothly when he's not around . He usually breaks something when he tries to help and we end up more behind than if he would have just left it to us. Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy. he's just not very coordinated and one might say he's machine challenged. So you have viewed all the videos on all our machines and how to work the register."



Maddie "Yes."



Gabby "This should be a breeze for you. Oh here he comes!"



Maddie "Who?"



Gabby "i call him Mister two coffees. You'll see. I will let you take his order."



Maddie "Welcome to Grant's Coffee shop. How may I help you today?



Customer " Would like two black coffees please."



Before Maddie finished ringing his order up Gabby had already placed the coffees on the counter.

Maddie handed the customer his receipt and said "Thank you, have a nice day."



The customer left the counter without saying a word and found a small table that would seat only two people. He placed one coffee in front of him and the other across from him and the he sat down.



Gabby "its the same every time he comes in. The same routine."



Maddie "What's so odd about that? He's obviously waiting on someone."



Gabby "That's the odd part. he sits there and drinks his coffee and no one ever shows up. When he's done, he gets up leaves both coffee cups on the table and leaves. Its the same every time."



Maddie "How long has this been going on?"



Gabby ' Almost a year now."



The following week the same customer returns on the same day, a Tuesday and at the same time. Maddie is at the register again and is ready to take his order.



Maddie "Welcome to Grants Coffee shop. How may I help you?





Customer "I will have two black coffees."



Maddie "We have some freshly bake Danish, how about one or two of those?



Customer sternly replies "I said I want two black coffees and that's all I want!"



Maddie quickly got him his coffees and told him to have a nice day. He sat down with one coffee in front of him and one opposite of him. Maddie would see this happen over and over the next few weeks. In the back of her mind she kept thinking she should say something to him, but she didn't. That is until today.



Maddie approaches his table and says "Sir, Why do you buy two coffees every week and only drink one?"



He looked straight at her and turned very pale. It seemed like all the blood drained from face. Then he burst into tears and ran out the door. Maddie ran after him, but he quickly disappeared into the crowd. Maddie went back inside.

Gabby stood behind the counter with her mouth wide open. Then she said "Why on earth did you do that?"



Two weeks past before the customer returned. He walked up to the counter.



Gabby greeted him "Welcome to Grants Coffee shop. How may I help you?



Customer "Is the lady that served me the last time I came, here?



Gabby "Oh, you don't have to worry about her. She no longer works here."



Customer " I hope it wasn't because of me that she left."



Gabby " Well yes it was exactly because of you. Our Manager saw what happened that day and he fired her."



Customer "Could you give me her address. I really would like to speak to her."



Gabby "I'm sorry, but we don't give out employee's addresses or ex-employees addresses to anyone, but if you really want to talk to her and your not going to mean to her she is coming by to pick up her last pay check this afternoon."



Customer "Wonderful, I will wait for her."



Gabby "Would you like a cup of coffee while you wait?



Customer "No thanks, I'll just have a seat if you don't mind and wait quietly for her."



Gabby "Be my guest. Wait as long as you like."



Gabby watched as the next two hours past and he sat quietly with his hands folded in front of him, waiting patiently. Sixteen more minutes past and the front door opened and Maddie walks in. She walks to the counter and Gabby hands her last paycheck to her. Gabby whispers something to her and Maddie stiffens. Maddie turns around and walks to the customers table.

She says "You wanted to speak to me?



Customer "Yes, please have a seat."



Maddie sat down and listened while he explained everything to her. When it was all over Maddie was in tears. Gabby ran over to the table. "You said that you wouldn't be mean to her." Gabby put her arm around Maddie and gave her a hug.



Maddie "He's not being mean to me. He was explaining about the two coffees and how his girlfriend had died crossing the street to get here. On that day he had bought two coffees, but she never showed up. He comes here to remember how much he loved her, but now he see's its not helping him to move forward with his life. He wanted to thank me for helping him realize she was never coming back and that he would not be coming here anymore, but will gladly tell his friends what a wonderful place this is and how friendly the people that work here are."



Gabby " That means you can come back to work here Maddie."



Maddie "Thanks Gabby, but I've already started working at another coffee shop and it looks like Frank is going the be coming to my coffee shop now."



Gabby "I always wondered what your name was. I'm sure Maddie will take great care of you over there."



One year later Gabby receives the mail from the postman and see's a fancy envelope in the middle of all the sales papers. She opens it and it is a invitation to the wedding of Frank Winston and Maddie Monroe. Gabby smiled and said "They got their happy ending."