Not Enough Mike Stories So Here's One
Starbucks
“C’mon Maddy!” I call out through the apartment.
“Hmph!” the nine year old pouts, “I need help tying my hair.” She hurries over to me and holds out a hair elastic. I tie her hair up in a slick ponytail and point to the small duffle bag behind her. She picks it up and we head out the door.
“You’re going to come watch the end right?” Maddy asks me in the car.
“Of course.” I laugh, “I have to see you beat that Tommy kid.”
“Yeah, he thinks he’s soooo good, but just wait till I beat his butt!” she exclaims happily.
“But Madison, don’t be a show off or else you’ll just sink to his level.” I warn.
“So Mom, what are you gonna do while I’m at swimming lessons?”
“I don’t know, there’s a Starbucks near the pool so I might go there.”
“Coffee is icky.” She says very matter-of-factly.
I pull up in front of the community pool and Madison practically leaps out of the car.
“See ya later!” she calls as she runs toward the door of the building. I start the car up again and make my way to the next block where the Starbucks is.
Just my luck someone pulls out of a parking space right outside the coffee shop so I barely have to walk. I get in line and order myself a mochachino and two chocolate chip cookies (one for Madison). After getting my food I turn around to see every table in the place is being occupied.
“Ahem!” I turn around to see a guy with spiky light brown hair looking at me with icy blue eyes, “You can sit with me if you like.” I smile and take my seat across from him; mind you he wasn’t bad looking, not at all.
“Thanks.” I say cheerily.
“No problem,” he chuckles, “I forgot my newspaper I could use someone to talk to.”
“Oh well, my name is Jade.”
“I’m Mike. So what kind of name is Jade anyway?”
“Well, what can I say my mom had a thing for green rocks.” He laughs
“There’s more to that story isn’t there.” He chuckles. I nod.
“So Mike since you forgot your newspaper, what should we talk about?” I ask laughing lightly.
“Hmm, weather, movies, music, ladies choice.”
“Well weather is a lame subject, I haven’t been to the movies in like six months, so let’s talk music.”
“Good choice, so what do you listen to?”
“Old school punk.” I say smartly, “You know, like Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash and what not.”
“Awesome choices,” he smiles, “But lately I’ve been listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers.”
“Yeah, they’re pretty good, insane bass lines.”
“Oh yeah.” He nods, “So do you listen to any uh modern punk?”
“You mean like Good Charlotte, Simple Plan and Fallout Boy?” I laugh, “They bring disgrace to the name of punk.” He laughs then bites down on his lower lip.
“Uhh, what about bands like umm, Blink 182 and erm My Chemical Romance?”
“Yeah they’ve got some catchy numbers.” I laugh, “Yeah I like to get my Chem on and Blink my guitar.”
“You play guitar?” he asks raising his eyebrows.
“Yeah, you play anything?”
“I play bass, guitar and I’ve been known to fiddle with the drums amongst other instruments.”
“Awesome, I always wanted to learn how to play bass.”
“Well if you know how to play guitar it’s not that hard.” He shrugs.
I look down at my watch and see time just whipped by.
“Well Mike, it was nice talking to you but I’ve got to go.” I grab my purse off the floor and stand up. Just as I turn he stands up too.
“Jade wait!” I turn back to face him, “you said you haven’t been to the movies in six months, how about I break that streak.” I smile, “While we’re out I might as well take you to dinner too.”
“That sounds great.” I say trying not the shriek in excitement, “I might be busy tonight though.” He looks uneasy for a moment, I must sound like I’m making lame excuses just not to hurt his feelings, “But if not tonight, tomorrow night for sure.” Just as I say this I realize it was a stupid thing to say considering I might not be able to find a sitter for Madison either day.
“Okay, cool, can I get your number then or an address of where to pick you up?” he asks tilting his head to the side slightly. I whip a pen out of my purse in a slightly clumsy manner and write my number down on a napkin.
“Now I really have to go.” I say dashing out of the establishment.
I hurry into my car and speed to the city pool, Madison really wanted me to watch her race. Luckily the community center has a parking lot so I don’t have to look for parking. I hurry out of my car and into the building. I get to the observation deck of the pool and take my seat next to the two other mothers. Usually parents don’t stick around to watch the class.
The group of ten or so kids are busy doing handstands and other aquatic tricks in the water. Maddy spots me and waves, I wave back. The instructor blows her whistle and calls the kids to the edge of the pool. The instructor blows the whistle again and all ten kids spring into the water and start paddling to the other end of the pool. Madison comes in at third place.
I watch as she climbs out of the pool, grabs her towel and comes up to the observation deck.
“I beat him Mom!” she exclaims, “I was third, he was fifth!”
“Good job.” I smile, “Get changed and I’ll wait here.” She nods and follows her swim team into the changing room.
I wait a few minutes until she scampers up the observation deck steps.
“Guess what!” she doesn’t give me a chance to answer before she continues, “My coach said I can be in the competition in two weeks.”
“Awesome!” I say giving her a high five, “She says you have to fill out this form.” She hands me a permission slip. I pull my pen out of my bag and fill out the required information. I can’t help but smile at the fresh memory linked to this pen.
“Why are you smiling like that?” Maddy asks jokingly, “You look like a maniac.” I stare at her in mock anger and we both laugh.
“Well, when I was at the coffee shop.” I start as I continue to fill out the permission slip, “this guy asked me to sit with him.”
“Oh,” she smirks evilly, “Is he like a total hotty?”
“Don’t talk like that about a potential boyfriend.” I joke, “but yes he is a total hotty.”
“Let me guess he looked deeply into your eyes and asked to whisk you away to Europe forever but you said we must be sensible, I have a job, a life, a family here in Oakland, I can’t just leave it all behind . . .”
“Oh god, you have an over-active imagination.” I laugh as we head down the steps towards the coach’s office, “he asked me out to dinner and a movie.”
I hand the permission slip to the coach and we head out of the building, most of the other people had already left.
“So does he know about me?”
“Umm no, not yet.” I say as we leave the building.
“Well he should, because if he really likes you then he won’t mind.”
“True.” I smirk evilly, “But you know, he’s like a total hotty, so like if he doesn’t like you we’ll just ship you off to boarding school, one with no swim team and where they don’t allow than dang rock music you like!”
“No!” she says dramatically and falls to the ground. We try not to laugh but fail and end up laughing like hyenas all the way back to the car.
“Hmph!” the nine year old pouts, “I need help tying my hair.” She hurries over to me and holds out a hair elastic. I tie her hair up in a slick ponytail and point to the small duffle bag behind her. She picks it up and we head out the door.
“You’re going to come watch the end right?” Maddy asks me in the car.
“Of course.” I laugh, “I have to see you beat that Tommy kid.”
“Yeah, he thinks he’s soooo good, but just wait till I beat his butt!” she exclaims happily.
“But Madison, don’t be a show off or else you’ll just sink to his level.” I warn.
“So Mom, what are you gonna do while I’m at swimming lessons?”
“I don’t know, there’s a Starbucks near the pool so I might go there.”
“Coffee is icky.” She says very matter-of-factly.
I pull up in front of the community pool and Madison practically leaps out of the car.
“See ya later!” she calls as she runs toward the door of the building. I start the car up again and make my way to the next block where the Starbucks is.
Just my luck someone pulls out of a parking space right outside the coffee shop so I barely have to walk. I get in line and order myself a mochachino and two chocolate chip cookies (one for Madison). After getting my food I turn around to see every table in the place is being occupied.
“Ahem!” I turn around to see a guy with spiky light brown hair looking at me with icy blue eyes, “You can sit with me if you like.” I smile and take my seat across from him; mind you he wasn’t bad looking, not at all.
“Thanks.” I say cheerily.
“No problem,” he chuckles, “I forgot my newspaper I could use someone to talk to.”
“Oh well, my name is Jade.”
“I’m Mike. So what kind of name is Jade anyway?”
“Well, what can I say my mom had a thing for green rocks.” He laughs
“There’s more to that story isn’t there.” He chuckles. I nod.
“So Mike since you forgot your newspaper, what should we talk about?” I ask laughing lightly.
“Hmm, weather, movies, music, ladies choice.”
“Well weather is a lame subject, I haven’t been to the movies in like six months, so let’s talk music.”
“Good choice, so what do you listen to?”
“Old school punk.” I say smartly, “You know, like Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash and what not.”
“Awesome choices,” he smiles, “But lately I’ve been listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers.”
“Yeah, they’re pretty good, insane bass lines.”
“Oh yeah.” He nods, “So do you listen to any uh modern punk?”
“You mean like Good Charlotte, Simple Plan and Fallout Boy?” I laugh, “They bring disgrace to the name of punk.” He laughs then bites down on his lower lip.
“Uhh, what about bands like umm, Blink 182 and erm My Chemical Romance?”
“Yeah they’ve got some catchy numbers.” I laugh, “Yeah I like to get my Chem on and Blink my guitar.”
“You play guitar?” he asks raising his eyebrows.
“Yeah, you play anything?”
“I play bass, guitar and I’ve been known to fiddle with the drums amongst other instruments.”
“Awesome, I always wanted to learn how to play bass.”
“Well if you know how to play guitar it’s not that hard.” He shrugs.
I look down at my watch and see time just whipped by.
“Well Mike, it was nice talking to you but I’ve got to go.” I grab my purse off the floor and stand up. Just as I turn he stands up too.
“Jade wait!” I turn back to face him, “you said you haven’t been to the movies in six months, how about I break that streak.” I smile, “While we’re out I might as well take you to dinner too.”
“That sounds great.” I say trying not the shriek in excitement, “I might be busy tonight though.” He looks uneasy for a moment, I must sound like I’m making lame excuses just not to hurt his feelings, “But if not tonight, tomorrow night for sure.” Just as I say this I realize it was a stupid thing to say considering I might not be able to find a sitter for Madison either day.
“Okay, cool, can I get your number then or an address of where to pick you up?” he asks tilting his head to the side slightly. I whip a pen out of my purse in a slightly clumsy manner and write my number down on a napkin.
“Now I really have to go.” I say dashing out of the establishment.
I hurry into my car and speed to the city pool, Madison really wanted me to watch her race. Luckily the community center has a parking lot so I don’t have to look for parking. I hurry out of my car and into the building. I get to the observation deck of the pool and take my seat next to the two other mothers. Usually parents don’t stick around to watch the class.
The group of ten or so kids are busy doing handstands and other aquatic tricks in the water. Maddy spots me and waves, I wave back. The instructor blows her whistle and calls the kids to the edge of the pool. The instructor blows the whistle again and all ten kids spring into the water and start paddling to the other end of the pool. Madison comes in at third place.
I watch as she climbs out of the pool, grabs her towel and comes up to the observation deck.
“I beat him Mom!” she exclaims, “I was third, he was fifth!”
“Good job.” I smile, “Get changed and I’ll wait here.” She nods and follows her swim team into the changing room.
I wait a few minutes until she scampers up the observation deck steps.
“Guess what!” she doesn’t give me a chance to answer before she continues, “My coach said I can be in the competition in two weeks.”
“Awesome!” I say giving her a high five, “She says you have to fill out this form.” She hands me a permission slip. I pull my pen out of my bag and fill out the required information. I can’t help but smile at the fresh memory linked to this pen.
“Why are you smiling like that?” Maddy asks jokingly, “You look like a maniac.” I stare at her in mock anger and we both laugh.
“Well, when I was at the coffee shop.” I start as I continue to fill out the permission slip, “this guy asked me to sit with him.”
“Oh,” she smirks evilly, “Is he like a total hotty?”
“Don’t talk like that about a potential boyfriend.” I joke, “but yes he is a total hotty.”
“Let me guess he looked deeply into your eyes and asked to whisk you away to Europe forever but you said we must be sensible, I have a job, a life, a family here in Oakland, I can’t just leave it all behind . . .”
“Oh god, you have an over-active imagination.” I laugh as we head down the steps towards the coach’s office, “he asked me out to dinner and a movie.”
I hand the permission slip to the coach and we head out of the building, most of the other people had already left.
“So does he know about me?”
“Umm no, not yet.” I say as we leave the building.
“Well he should, because if he really likes you then he won’t mind.”
“True.” I smirk evilly, “But you know, he’s like a total hotty, so like if he doesn’t like you we’ll just ship you off to boarding school, one with no swim team and where they don’t allow than dang rock music you like!”
“No!” she says dramatically and falls to the ground. We try not to laugh but fail and end up laughing like hyenas all the way back to the car.