Coffee Talk

“Lemmi get uhhh...”

“step aside Karter, there are people in line that actually know what they want,”

 I cheekily said before picking out his usual, Cappuccino. “What if I want something new? Huh?”

This made me look up at him surprised. “You’ve never asked for anything new since I knew you. What’s the special occasion?” 

He thought for a second before flaring up his hands in the air and saying, “nevermind, I’ll have the usual.” 

“Don’t get him that order!” My dad yelled while coming into the door. Sighing and rolling my eyes, this was not going to be good. These were going to be my last customers before the end of my shift and here was dad ready to chat it up with someone. Him and Karter were great friends and for them to have a “small” chat would result in them laughing up a storm for over an hour. 

“I got new coffee recipes for the fall season. And the great thing about it is that you, karter, are going to be my Guinea pig.” My dad said while patting him on the shoulder. 

“Alright” he said while shimming off his work coat and getting comfortable in the seats. 

After finishing with the other people’s orders I clocked out and went and got us a cappuccino. “I don‘t know when he’s going to be gone so here’s something to drink,” I handed him the drink and I sat down with him.

“So, what do you think he’s going to give you?” I interrogated. I was in the dark just as he was. 

The last thing that my dad tested on him gave him stomach poison. 

“Hopefully something good.” He said while rubbing his neck. You could tell he was scared but he was willing to test anything out for his friend. “Hey, at least it will be something seasonal” 

Looking around, I saw that everything was in the season of fall. My mom had decorated the shop with pumpkins and leaves and everything fall. It was disgusting. Everywhere i looked was orange or brown or red. None of my favorite colors, but it’s not like my complaints were going to be noticed. Fall wasn’t my favorite season. It was too cold, too wet, and too leafy. My family had owned this coffee shop, Cultural Coffee, for 15 years and I was working here to make a few bucks in college. The day was colder than usual and the cafe hugged me all around with warmth. This usually faltered when customers came in the the cold ran inside so I was hoping no customers came in for a while. 

“How’s college going?” Karter asked while going through his phone. 

“It’s going alright, I haven’t made any friends yet.” I went to an out of state college and no one from the town went there. It had been two months now and I hadn’t found any friends yet. “You’ll find some.” He stopped for a second before proceeding, “I also had trouble getting friends.” I was confused. Karter was the most popular person here. “When have you been friendless?” Laughing at my question he said, “sit down I’m about to tell you a story.” 

*

I moved fresh out of college and I had moved to this town in the fall of 1980. I had got a job at as a financial advisor for the Cruhns Company down the street. I had also bought down a house across your parents house. My coworkers were just coworkers. I saw them at work and that was about it. Your parents came over to my hair and passed out fliers promoting their cafe business. I agreed to come over but I never did for a few months. One day I was running two hours late and I was running t o get to work but I was tired and out of breath. I knew that even if I was a second later, I was going to get in as much trouble as if I was a few minutes late. So I gave up going to work and decided to walk around town since I had not really looked around before. I walked to the park near the City hall and i decided to check out your parents shop. I walked in the cafe and there wasn’t anyone in there. They seemed to be surprised to see a customer come in. Your father rushed for me and got in my face asking me what I wanted to drink and I said for him to surprise me while I sat down. Me and your father chatted while your mother made me an order and we chatted about life and other stuff. Your mom made me gingerbread spiced coffee which blew my mind. I spent the whole day there talking with your mom and dad. I told my coworkers about the cafe and they came over the next day and we all hanged out. From that day on that was our hang out spot for a while before the business closed down. So moral of the story, your parents essentially helped me with getting friends.

*

“So, what did you think of the story?” 

Rolling my eyes, “you know you could of have shortened to that part about mom and dad being your firsts friends and that could of have been the end of the story.” 

“Yeah, he agreed, but I wound’t of have had the opportunity to bore you.” 

We laughed. “Look at you two getting along,” dad said while laying down various drinks on the table. “Okay, lets play a game with this, you guys drink one and guess what it could be.” 

There were four drinks for each of us to taste. I took the first one and tasted it and my face scrunched up. “What do you think I made it out of.” 

After managing to get it down, I replied, “shit?” 

My dad gently slapped me before I got serious. It tasted like a mixture of heavy cinnamon over matching any other flavor. 

The other two drinks were also not that good but the last drink tasted amazing. It has an equal amount of cinnamon, peppermint, pumpkin and a hint of vanilla. Me and karter both picked the same drink. “I’m thinking about calling it the, fall chill.” 

“Sure” I said before leaving them to their catching up. I quickly cleaned up and wrote down the “fall chill” as a new drink for the customers coming in.