Status: Completed.
The Guy at the Coffee Shop
Coffee for One, Seat for More
On the corner of two streets, Elsarara was a small coffee shop in Jersey City that was known by word of mouth and by word of mouth only. It didn't have any advertisements and it didn't have a fax machine number or a website people could utilise. The only thing it did have was a number people could ring - and every business had that.
Small but cosy, Elsarara sat on a corner of two streets with a door on one side only. Crowded during the lunch hours, it was a favourite coffee destination for those that experienced it. And those that became regulars all found themselves a favourite spot to sit and enjoy their drink.
That favourite spot for Gerard was opposite the counter by the window. And even though it would've felt weird otherwise sitting by the window where he could be seen by those outside, it didn't. He felt comfortable enough there that it got the point he'd sat there so often that he didn't even realise he was actually at a window until he actually looked around.
Because Gerard wasn't one to keep his eyes on other people. Mostly, he kept his eyes on his own hands on his coffee or on the notebook he brought with him. A pencil in his hand, he drew away at creations that were designed in his mind but made it onto paper with an ease that a lot of people would kill for. And it was obvious by the way Gerard sat in his own little world in the coffee shop with a notebook and pencil in hand that he felt pretty comfortable where he was.
And he was comfortable. Because Elsarara was a nice place - and both Gerard and Frank thought that. Gerard the most - considering he didn't work there. And what he liked the most was the atmosphere of the place: the rich smell of coffee in the air he could be around all day, the lounge-like furniture he sat on was comfortable and the table had no annoying habits such as rocking around on a shortened leg on him. Above that though, the place was never crowded. And the few times he had been there during 'peak hour traffic' it had just been six or seven people drinking their coffees amongst hushed conversations or none.
And it was nice. It was especially nice when he had the place to himself. Not that he made noise, and not that he drew attention to himself, but when he was on his own Gerard really felt like his coffee just tasted better and he drew at his best then too.
The fact that Gerard stayed at the same table, on his own, was something Frank soon noticed. The guy who always came in not only stuck to his habit of coming in every Sunday at 4.30 but he sticked to his same table too. Same guy. Same time. Same drink. Same table. It would be annoying had it not served as a great purpose to Frank in a little something called reliability.
Because it was reliable - and Frank could count on when Gerard would be in, where he'd sit and what he'd have. It was amusing after a while, to know exactly what the guy's habits were, but after that, Frank found himself noticing a lot past what he ordered, who he was and what time he came in.
Frank noticed his eyes first. It wasn't a Sunday afternoon, but it was an afternoon. It was a Tuesday. Or maybe it was a Wednesday. Whatever day it was - Frank was caught off guard by Gerard's sudden appearance in the store. It'd been a while since a day he'd come in when it hadn't been a Sunday, and when he did walk in... Well, Frank was struck by his eyes first.
It was a quick glance up Frank's way from Gerard as he reached his hand into his pocket for money.
"Uh," Gerard had started first. He'd often start it with a noise - a little unsure sound as he glanced up to the menu, but this time he'd seem distracted. Like he was in a rush. As it turned out, he had been.
"Can I get a flat white?" Gerard had asked next. Frank knew the words before he said it, but he'd waited before he nodded anyway. He'd paused before he made the drink though, struck by the way the guy's eyes darted around the shop a moment. And when they stopped on him, Frank moved off to make the drink he'd had ordered.
The drink made, Frank handed it to him. There was the exchanging of money and change and Frank found himself watching the guy as he quickly shuffled off to his table, placing his coffee, wallet and phone down with the one hand before he'd sorted it all out.
And of that stay of Gerard's, Frank caught himself stealing a few glances upwards from time to time. Customers were far between that afternoon and Gerard, it seemed, kept himself busied with his phone, a confused look or two and his drink of coffee, of course. The space next to him was unoccupied, just like the rest of the seats in the store and when he did leave that afternoon after a brief five minute stay, Frank found himself glancing up to watch him go.
It was an odd feeling watching the guy, Frank thought, because he was so suddenly interested in him. And it was an even odder feeling having a sense of anticipation for the coming Sunday when he had his next opportunity to pay even closer attention to the customer he only knew as 'the guy at the coffee shop'.
Small but cosy, Elsarara sat on a corner of two streets with a door on one side only. Crowded during the lunch hours, it was a favourite coffee destination for those that experienced it. And those that became regulars all found themselves a favourite spot to sit and enjoy their drink.
That favourite spot for Gerard was opposite the counter by the window. And even though it would've felt weird otherwise sitting by the window where he could be seen by those outside, it didn't. He felt comfortable enough there that it got the point he'd sat there so often that he didn't even realise he was actually at a window until he actually looked around.
Because Gerard wasn't one to keep his eyes on other people. Mostly, he kept his eyes on his own hands on his coffee or on the notebook he brought with him. A pencil in his hand, he drew away at creations that were designed in his mind but made it onto paper with an ease that a lot of people would kill for. And it was obvious by the way Gerard sat in his own little world in the coffee shop with a notebook and pencil in hand that he felt pretty comfortable where he was.
And he was comfortable. Because Elsarara was a nice place - and both Gerard and Frank thought that. Gerard the most - considering he didn't work there. And what he liked the most was the atmosphere of the place: the rich smell of coffee in the air he could be around all day, the lounge-like furniture he sat on was comfortable and the table had no annoying habits such as rocking around on a shortened leg on him. Above that though, the place was never crowded. And the few times he had been there during 'peak hour traffic' it had just been six or seven people drinking their coffees amongst hushed conversations or none.
And it was nice. It was especially nice when he had the place to himself. Not that he made noise, and not that he drew attention to himself, but when he was on his own Gerard really felt like his coffee just tasted better and he drew at his best then too.
The fact that Gerard stayed at the same table, on his own, was something Frank soon noticed. The guy who always came in not only stuck to his habit of coming in every Sunday at 4.30 but he sticked to his same table too. Same guy. Same time. Same drink. Same table. It would be annoying had it not served as a great purpose to Frank in a little something called reliability.
Because it was reliable - and Frank could count on when Gerard would be in, where he'd sit and what he'd have. It was amusing after a while, to know exactly what the guy's habits were, but after that, Frank found himself noticing a lot past what he ordered, who he was and what time he came in.
Frank noticed his eyes first. It wasn't a Sunday afternoon, but it was an afternoon. It was a Tuesday. Or maybe it was a Wednesday. Whatever day it was - Frank was caught off guard by Gerard's sudden appearance in the store. It'd been a while since a day he'd come in when it hadn't been a Sunday, and when he did walk in... Well, Frank was struck by his eyes first.
It was a quick glance up Frank's way from Gerard as he reached his hand into his pocket for money.
"Uh," Gerard had started first. He'd often start it with a noise - a little unsure sound as he glanced up to the menu, but this time he'd seem distracted. Like he was in a rush. As it turned out, he had been.
"Can I get a flat white?" Gerard had asked next. Frank knew the words before he said it, but he'd waited before he nodded anyway. He'd paused before he made the drink though, struck by the way the guy's eyes darted around the shop a moment. And when they stopped on him, Frank moved off to make the drink he'd had ordered.
The drink made, Frank handed it to him. There was the exchanging of money and change and Frank found himself watching the guy as he quickly shuffled off to his table, placing his coffee, wallet and phone down with the one hand before he'd sorted it all out.
And of that stay of Gerard's, Frank caught himself stealing a few glances upwards from time to time. Customers were far between that afternoon and Gerard, it seemed, kept himself busied with his phone, a confused look or two and his drink of coffee, of course. The space next to him was unoccupied, just like the rest of the seats in the store and when he did leave that afternoon after a brief five minute stay, Frank found himself glancing up to watch him go.
It was an odd feeling watching the guy, Frank thought, because he was so suddenly interested in him. And it was an even odder feeling having a sense of anticipation for the coming Sunday when he had his next opportunity to pay even closer attention to the customer he only knew as 'the guy at the coffee shop'.