JUST ANOTHER WORKING DAY

It began as a fairly ordinary working day, way back when life was simple and cappuccinos were served only in Italian cafes and restaurants. Holly parked the car and got out. Her sister Sue emerged from the passenger side door and checked her watch.   Good. Plenty of time to get ready for action. Both ladies walked to the back of their little ‘workhorse’, emptied the boot of stock, and entered their home away from home: a cosy little shop which when you opened the door each morning, greeted them with the aroma of ground coffee, cinnamon and chocolate.

In an arcade that held useful shops, it seemed that “Cosy Nook” was indeed a haven for those who, having done their weekly shopping, or having a break from the office routine, needed time to rest. They had a wonderful mixture of clientele, which as Sue once said, educated both their palate and their understanding of human nature. Both ladies had their favourite customers but prided themselves in their ability to get on with most of them.... most days.

Holly put the dripolator on and while it ‘mixed’ a steaming aroma of Kenya and Mocha coffee probably their only hot cup for the day, she filled the cash register with sufficient notes and small change to open the doors at 9 am, irrespective of what still needed to be done. She started preparing sandwiches, while Sue brushed, swept, dusted and gave a general tidy and clean so as the Health Department would be appeased. Holly handed Sue a steaming mug of coffee and went back to her own. She needed the caffeine; it kept her feeling of unease about certain regular customers at bay.

“Need anything to eat, Sue?” Holly yelled from their small kitchen.

“Got any raisin... Oh, heck Holl, do you remember what day this is?”

“Yep, Ladies day out.” Holly turned to look at Sue and grimaced: the sisters laughed.

“It might be better than we think,” said Sue soothingly.

“Yes, there might be a pot of gold under the carpet too,” said Holly.

 As happens frequently in small shops there are spurts of activity followed by time to breathe, think, catch up or if at all possible, rest. Cosy Nook enjoyed these spurts as a rule: except Thursdays. At a set hour, the Ladies Group dawdled down the centre court to invade the shop. No one knew where they came from, most were glad when they went home. All the shop keepers were in agreement about the ladies; some admired the courage that Holly and Sue had in tolerating these often cantankerous old chickens; who seemed to prevent other customers from the tranquillity of the Cosy Nook, or the ambience of the delicatessen, the next-door shop. Others thought they were nuts but did not have the courage to tell them. As a general rule, the Ladies group was neither popular nor forgettable.

Holly, unbeknown to her sister, had an idea. She knew it was risky, she might lose some customers; hopefully, those whom they could well do without, but it was time the Ladies were taught a lesson. She thought of running the idea by Sue, then, thought better of it. It was time for action, and she was going to take it. She went to the cupboard, retrieved the old toaster which had seen better days, placed it by the jaffle iron, hid the newer toaster in the cupboard and the first part of the plan was in place. Presently the Ladies Group appeared.

There was Maggie who seemed to be on edge most of the time.   Dressed smartly her hair nicely styled, she had a habit of wringing her hands when stressed. This she was doing as she took her favourite place at the only round table the shop possessed. Then came Helen, as skinny as a rake, her hair resembling bird’s nest.  It was a general idea that lipstick was used supposedly as fashion dictated; but when was it ever compulsory to wear it on your teeth? After Helen came Dora, who greeted the girls with a happy “Guten Tag” as she bustled, a little flustered, to her seat. Dora had something on her mind and had not realised (again) that she had reverted to her native German. Sue took that in her stride; Dora was a motherly soul, and her eccentricities were minimal, in fact, they brought light relief.

“Nothing but coffee today dear, my tummy is not right,” said Maggie to Sue.

“Great, we can pay the bills on this order,” Sue thought.

“Coffee for me too,” said Helen unsmilingly, offering no excuse which was common. Sue sometimes wondered if Helen had given smiling up for Lent, and forgotten that the Lentin season was over.

“Nonsense, Helen how can you just haf coffee?” asked Dora “Susan my deyah, do you have the pfefferminze slice today and coffee too, bitte.”

“Sorry we don’t have the peppermint, Dora,” said Sue “there is a lonely piece of cheesecake you can have?”

 “Oh, Ja, Danke!” Dora’s face went from gloom to ecstasy in a matter of seconds.

“Sue... perhaps some raisin toast,” said Helen as though she were doing the world a big favour.

“Right O,” said Sue “Holly, some raisin toast.”

Holly waved in acknowledgement and put her plan into action by inserting the dodgy toaster cord into the socket.

Just then the shop as though welcoming strangers to its door was packed to the gunnels. Takeaway coffee rushed out the door by the gallon. The cash register was humming a quirky little tune, which embraced accelerando gleefully. Orders for sandwiches, cake and confectionery were all handled by Sue as Holly was up to her ears in bread and various fillings.

The laughter and gaiety in the shop were contagious until Sue heard Helen bewail, as was her habit.

“I think they have forgotten us, It only coffee and toast after all”

“Nonsense Helen,” said Dora again “Sue is busy she only has two pairs of hands.”

No one had the gall to correct Dora; instead, there was a giggle from Maggie.

“Oh, I hope I’m not going to be sick,” said Maggie crying out for attention, in a world that had no time for hypochondriacs.

“How could you be sick on the little you eat?” asked Helen rudely “really Maggie you should carry quickeze or something in your bag, or get your GP to suggest something stronger. Mind you it seems we won’t be eating today.” she continued looking at her watch; though indeed there was plenty of time to sit and do nothing, as the Ladies Group often did.

“Would it really ease ailments that quickly Helen?” asked Maggie ruefully, pouring herself some water from the jug on the table. She belched and said apologetically “Oh excuse me.”

Sue busy serving another customer looked towards the throng, the coffee grinder making its own cacophonous, bean serenade.

Suddenly Holly gave a feigned cry of exasperation “Oh No, Oh No” 

Sue looking over her shoulder, but could not leave the cash register unattended

“Holl?” She could not control her sense of unease. There were too many folk milling around; it was a strange unnatural feeling.

BANG!!

The shop was in complete darkness. The coffee grinder ... ground to a halt. The cash register went from Andante to Adagio within seconds until it bid a fond farewell with an accent sweet.

Chaos reigned momentarily. One of the customers, an electrician to trade, barged into the kitchen.

“Are you okay love?” he asked Holly

Holly, a little shaken but not stirred, smiled feebly. Sparky putting two and two together about the cause, just laughed, winked at Holly and reset the fuse box, patting her shoulder saying rather loudly.

“I’m in no hurry, love, I will wait here until light and shade show.”

No one noticed Helen as she weaved her way through the concerned onlookers. She stood on tiptoe watching over the swing doors trying to establish why there was a delay in their order being served.

Holly seemingly flustered turned, observing the ballerina step, looked at her quizzically.

“Is my raisin toast alright?” Helen asked Holly curtly.

 Holly, disgusted and with gritty determination, picked up the little step she often used to reach something on a top shelf saying.

“Here Helen, use this; you‘ll get a much better view.”

Without blinking, Helen repeated, “Is my raisin toast alright?”

Holly smiled.  She turned to face Helen, her lips tight, her eyes steely.

“NO” she answered looking directly at the woman whose facial expression showed no inkling of concern.

“It’s more than ready; it’s burned. How about starting a new trend Helen Charcoal raisin toast, cheaper than chicken?”  She had an audience by this time. Someone laughed, Holly could not tell who, nor did she care.

“It was your blanky raisin toast that had me in a pickle.” she continued “Your orders though minimal have that effect on my sister and me. I turned around to see if your friend, Maggie were alright and put the cord in the toaster as well as the bread. So no it’s burned to a crisp, I’m not but I could have been. Now get out go home and make your own flaming toast...”

A few of their old faithful applauded. Helen remained mystified.

Well of all the ....”

“Nerve?” supplied Sue as she stood by her sister; then carefully, but pointedly walked toward the shop door and opened it.

Helen stormed out in high dudgeon, shaking her birds' nest hairdo for all she was worth, muttering to herself. Sue looked into the kitchen and realised that mischief had entered it with aplomb. Good old Holly

“Better get rid of that before the Health Department hears about it,” she said quietly trying not to laugh, winking at Holly.

As though to welcome a new chapter, the cash register sprang into action along with the coffee grinder, their comical duet a reminder of normality. Turning Sue saw Dora, with an impish grin escaping from her mouth as she wiped her eyes. Maggie too was laughing, her nausea forgotten.

“Is your sister ok?”  asked Dora, with genuine concern, itching to go in and wash dishes and give the poor fraulein a rest.

Sue reassured them all was okay.

“Helen deserved every inch of that,” said Maggie approvingly. “I actually enjoyed that Oscar-winning performance of Holly’s. I wish I had her courage.”

Holly’s raring to go, Maggie.” Sue smiled “I guess you should never believe that statement that the customer is always right. More coffee ladies?”