Coffee and a Chase

"Follow that car!" shouted Florian.

He had just exited his usual coffee shop and urgently scanned the street

in front of him, straining his eyes in the bright morning light, looking for the familiar yellow paint of Bill's New York city taxi. He then opened the door to the back seat and quickly jumped in.

The heavy-set bald man reacted to the panic in Florian's voice and quickly tossed his morning paper in the seat beside him.

"Which car?" Bill frantically looked out the windshield as he started the cab.

"That silver one!"

"Can you be more specific?" Bill pleaded while looking into a sea of traffic and several cars with silver paintwork.

"The fancy one. I think it's electric.

"I'm on it," Bill said as he accelerated with authority into traffic, ignoring the surprised honks and shouts around him.

"Quick! They're getting away," Florian's panic had not subsided and he sat forward in his seat straining to see out the front window.

Bill was an expert driver, seasoned in one of the most demanding roadways on earth. "Don't worry. I never lose my prey."

Traffic was unusually light this morning and Bill quickly closed the distance between the cab and the silver electric. Their quarry made a quick left hand turn on a yellow and Bill accelerated into the intersection.

"Hang on," Bill cautioned as the maneuver compounded the lateral gravitational pull and Florian rolled to his right across the back seat. In the panic of the moment he'd forgotten to secure his seat belt. As Bill leveled off his aggresive turn, Florian put on his seatbelt and looked out the front window, trying to reacquire their target. 

"There they are!" Florian pointed straight ahead as the silver car began over a bridge and across the East River. 

Florian and Bill continued to pursue the silver car but after a handful of left and right turns, found themselves forced to stop at a red light while their target sailed through. But in a stroke of luck, they watched as the car pulled up to the curb outside an office tower.

As the light turned green, Bill proceeded to the curb ourside the office tower. As he was pulling up, a woman exited the silver car with a coffee in hand and entered the office tower. The silver car departed just as He parked at the curb. "Must have been a ride-share," Bill declared.

Florian jumped out and shouted "I'll be right back, Bill."

He ran up to the door of the office tower and entered the lobby. Florian caught sight of the security desk and his heart sank. He would be stopped before he could reach the woman from the coffee shop.

Seeing Florian's panicked demeanor, the security officer came around the security desk to intercept Florian and block his entry to the building.

Florian could see the woman standing and waiting in the elevator alcove.

"Sir, can I help you find where you're going?" the security officer asked.

"I just need to speak with her for a moment," he said, pointing to the woman.

The security officer turned and looked at the woman by the elevator. She was looking at them now as their voices echoed in the marble-covered atrium.

The security officer returned his attention to Florian, "Do you have an appointment?" Florian shook his head, no. "Then I'll ask you to leave. You're making people uncomfortable."

This was it, he would not catch her. He needed to catch her. It was of utmost importance. Thinking quickly, he came up with the last option available to him.

"Rachel!" Florian shouted. The woman turned his way, recognizing her name. "Rachel, I need to speak with you!"

She looked at Florian and he noticed the moment curiosity urged her to give in. She exited the alcove and came closer. "How do you know my name?"

Florian held up the coffee cup in his hand. "Your name is on this cup. I have your coffee and you have mine." 

Rachel glanced down at the cup in her hand. "Florian?" she asked as she looked back at him.

"Yes!"

She came closer as the security officer stepped back around the desk. She and Florian exchanged cups and laughed at the absurdity of their circumstance.

"Did you really follow me all the way from the coffee shop? To give me my coffee?"

"Yes… well, that and" Florian paused before admitting. "You also had my coffee."

"Regardless, thank you," Rachel looked thoughtfully at the cup in Florian's hand. "To tell you the truth, I had not taken a sip yet. I took a call on my mobile in the ride-share and got distracted." She smiled.

Something in her smile caused Florian to now notice the woman. The adrenaline of the chase had subsided, but now came back anew in a rush. He could feel his cheeks flush with heat and he decided to take a chance.

"This might seem strange given our chance meeting… and my frantic pursuit to retrieve my coffee, but… could I get your number?"

Rachel seemed uncertain, but only for a moment. She walked to the security desk and retrieved a pen. Then returning to where Florian stood, she requested his coffee cup back.

He passed her his cup and held hers again as she wrote out her number. They exchanged cups once more. Florian glanced at the numbers on the side of his paper coffee cup.

"I was only trying that coffee shop for the first time today," Rachel admitted. "But I think odds are good that I'll be there again tomorrow."

"Have a nice day, Rachel." They each waved and proceeded their separate ways.

Florian returned to Bill's taxi and got in the back seat as before. "I hope that was worth it," the cab driver declared.

"It was," beamed Florian.

"Did you get it this time?"

"Yes Bill, I got her number," Florian smiled mischievously.

"Good," Bill paused before continuing. "The last time, we drove around for thirty minutes before she rightfully threw your coffee in the trash."

"I was very thankful she didn't throw it in my face. And if you don't like the job, I can always find a new driver."

Bill pulled out into traffic and proceeded in the direction of Florian's office. "How can I refuse? You pay me too well."

From the back seat, Florian looked contemplative. "To be honest Bill, I think this may be the last time I make the 'coffee cup switch'. I may need to find a new gig for you."

"Since we're being honest, I'm getting tired of the chase," admitted Bill. "Might be a good time to call it quits. Just keep me in mind for the wedding driver."

"Deal!"