"A cup for sixpence sir, please", "Try this new one, it has a pleasing aroma, please, anyone would like to try...". I was screaming, bellowing and begging, but as usual hardly a couple of people walking incessantly on the unbearably frozen streets of Wales, even gave a glance at me or my kiosk, with the help of which I was hawking and trying to sell my coffee in the deserted sidewalk, you must be wondering, who I was, anyway the moment in which I was vending coffee, at that time I was a destitute who was selling coffee on my wooden kiosk, which was the only property I owned, moreover my good name is William Barrow, and even yesterday after wrangling excruciatingly with my voice, I could barely earn 10 pounds, which could merely provide one course meal to me and my family. Yes my insurmountably generous spouse Sarah Barrow, and my impeccably mischievous toddler George Barrow were waiting for me breathlessly and ravenously. They were waiting eagerly for me, because they expected from me to pacify their hunger, However I could mange to get a two full pieces of half roasted toast, which I gave to both of them, I gulped down half cup of my coffee to quench my puckishness and went back to sleep. It was pretty obvious that a meagre cup of coffee, would not invite the peaceful sleep anon, so I decided to switch on the radio, etched on the dank shelves of my abode. I switched on the radio, "London is going to announce a lock down for 3 months in due to the cause of this pandemic, hence not even a single workplace would be resuming, every job should be stopped and no one must step out," announced by a piercing voice, and which led me to flutter my eyes, I woke up instantly and wondered, "How I am going to earn? I cannot step out? How will I earn money? How will I fulfill the needs of my bite sized family?, however realized there’s no point in contemplating so profoundly on this subject and I should hit the hay and snooze off. I had no idea what was waiting for me in the next morning I was snoring and sleeping indeed peacefully, but suddenly a swishing sound started distracting me, and my eyes fell opened. As soon as I raised from my bed, I saw the door of my room getting opened. I jerked myself out to see what’s there on the other side of the door! No sooner did I lean and opened the door I felt an indeed prickly twinge inside me, it seemed like I was placed in a completely different world. Yes this was a very miraculous place, the aroma of coffee was tantalizing my nose, I could see the rivers of latte flowing by its gargantuan side, there were some gigantic mountains made of coffee beans. I could see some microscopic caterpillars taking espresso shots and working on their laptop relentlessly, I also sighted some tulip- maids grinding and making drip-coffee, and well there was also a fluffy rabbit who was working as a barista. My mouth fell upon with the astonishment, since not only he was wearing a bleached tuxedo but also he was standing elegantly holding clumsily a glistening steel tray. Even though I decided to pull myself together and follow that barista who was actually a rabbit, as soon as I reached there, again I was twinge and gobsmacked, by the hoarse voice which was coming from somewhere, “How can I help you sir? Would like to have a large frappe chino or an extra large cappuccino with some candied hazelnut syrup? Anything you can tell sir, your wish would be my command” said the rabbit, I was awestruck, for an instance, and how can a rabbit speak! Well he was glaring incessantly at me with the utter peculiarity, which gave me the sign that I must mutter something, so I replied, “I am a bit conscious about my calories, so would you mind me serving a tall decaffeinated coffee?” he nodded swiftly and said “yes sir of course please have a seat.” He gave me a very gleaming smile and dashed in the kitchen which was made of chocolate wall smeared with balmy mocha chino. I was still glaring at this amusing place with my mouth open, there were some pixies besides me indistinctly murmuring and drinking a Grande affogato, I mustered up the courage and held myself out to ask them something more about this phantom place. “Excuse me, would you please tell me what is the place exactly!” I blurted out, “Yes of course, by the way I am a choco chips producer, I am Mr. Hakuna Matata and this is a cafe precisely build for coffee aficionados, you could find all the possible things made of encrusted coffee beans, all sorts of animals and human beings tend to visit this place so that they could find the most delectable coffee on this planet.” Replied one of the pixie, he further added “I am so sorry I just won’t be able to talk to you now, since I have my zoom meeting right now, so …” “Yes yes absolutely, I can understand” I replied. Albeit I don’t know why I did assuming that, it was again very weird and unrealistic for a pixie to have an online meeting. I spotted at all the corners of that peculiar cafe, I could see their ‘offer’ poster which was dangling precariously and it said, ‘Buy two flat white coffee and get a large latte for free’ I was about to read the entire offer while the rabbit – barista came holding my coffee, he served me my coffee with a charismatic smile and sat bedsides me. While I was stirring my coffee the barista was glaring at me with an unfathomable amount of curiosity, moreover suddenly he blurted out, "Sir this coffee is especially made my with the finest caffeine called " Bay" I was awfully amused, how ever I further interrogated about the derivation of this name and he answered in the most quintessential manner, " Sir this coffee can keep all your problems at the bay, that's why its name is "Bay", I was mesmerized and with the uttermost confidence I tried to touch my chapped lips on the chine ware cup, the taste of coffee was indeed heaven but there was something happening to me, I started feeling drowsy, my eyelashes fell, it’s falling, falling and I fell asleep. “Father, father wake up, come on please, wake up” I heard a very familiar voice concurrently I tried to open my eyes gradually, suddenly I realized that I was at my abode, on my lanky bed, made of straws and rags, sleeping at the same place, but there was something different in this moment, that night had turned into dawn and my son was sitting beside me. In addition I realized I the most recent announcement, which took place last night, I took a glimpse at my wife, and she was looking absolutely distraught I knew that she was also pondering the same, what I was, may be before a pernicious virus, perhaps our hunger will fetch away out life, however I woke up from the bed, washed my knackered face and on my wobbly bed, absentmindedly. Sara came and sat beside me, looking absolutely down in the dumps. And suddenly there came a mammoth shrill from my redundant, microscopic mobile phone, which was lying in my musty, tattered coat. i picked up the call and said, Hello, " Hello, is Mr. Barrow there?, " asked an inadvertent voice, I replied positively, " Yes, this is William Barrow, may I know who's there on the other side?", "Sir, I am speaking from the company 'Chirps', one of the world's largest choco chips company run by the most prominent business Tycoon, " Mr. Hakuna Matata", said the unfamiliar voice pompously, I gaped astonishingly at my wife, however I had to answer to the ongoing call, "OK.., Sir how can I help you?" I asked horridly, "Mr. Barrow, our company is initiating an Non profitable project, where we are going to provide food and necessary consumables to the poor people during this lock down, so we were just thinking as you are a coffee seller, so if you would help us in providing required coffee to the needy people, and moreover you will be given adequate compensation of 50 pounds everyday, so that you can meet the needs of your family, hence we want your consent Mr. Barrow, are you willing to the be the part of this initiative?", replied the unfamiliar yet a voice of help, I was gobsmacked, I was thanking the almighty for sending the help, however I was still pondering as if I am in my dream, I replied in the most affirmative manner, " OH, thank you so much sir, I can't tell you how much help you are providing to me, and my poor family, thank you so much sir, I will sure be the part of this initiative!" " That's great, Mr. Barrow you shall prepare 2 tanks of coffee everyday, and we shall send one volunteer with your compensation as well as to collect the coffee." informed the voice of help, however there was still one question which I had in my mind I thought to ask that instantaneously, " But sir, would you mind asking me, how Mr. Hakuna Matata knew me... Hello sir.... Hello..." there was no one, on the other side, perhaps its going to be an unsolvable mystery, anyway, I shall buckle up and start preparing the coffee for the needy people...
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The above story is a reflection of the predicament of all those daily wage workers and downtrodden people whose life came to a mammoth pause due to the pandemic, hence this piece is a representation of all those people who though during the pandemic that poverty will kill them first than any hazardous virus. However, as we know that there is always a silver lining, to even a thundering cloud, hence all we need to do is hold our breath and scream out loud, "No Worries".
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