Frappés and First Meetings
Iris made a face, leaning on the counter and letting out a little sigh. It was Monday morning, grey and rainy outside, and there was no one in Jitters. This was supposed to be an exciting occasion for her. It was the first time her boss had left her alone, in charge of running the whole show, since she’d started working there almost a month ago. She was supposed to be proving that she was more than capable of handling things on her own, that she could do this, showing her boss that she’d absorbed everything she’d been taught over the last few weeks. And here she was, standing around in an empty coffee shop.
She was so bored. She’d already done every meaningless task she could think of, like wiping down all the machines, unloading the dishwasher, cleaning all the tables, cleaning the windows, stocking the pastry case until it was practically full to bursting. She’d even contemplated going and cleaning the bathroom, bleaching the toilets and wiping the smudges off the mirrors, but then she’d realized that would mean the counter was unmanned, and she didn’t want to be out of the room when her first customer came in.
C’mon, c’mon... She thought, sending up a little prayer. Someone had to come in. It was nine o’clock, surely there had to be some businessmen wanting a coffee on their way to work, or a college student wanting a pick me up on their way to class, or something. Sure, it was a horrendous day outside and no one probably wanted to stop on their way, but maybe the café could serve as a safe haven for someone to get out of the downpour. She just wanted someone, anyone, to come in.
