Cafe Friday #3

Fiction late post, supposed to have this ready for Friday but life happens lol...

I felt static in my mind, an ache in my soul and a knot in my gut.  It had been some kind of week, for sure.  We just found out the owner of the cafe had not been paying the commercial mortgage, and we may soon have to shut our doors.  This place, as busy as it gets sometimes, means everything to me.  I love seeing the faces of people eating food that is delicious but also healthful, the broad smiles from full bellies.  Plus, a lot of what we bring in is from local vendors, people we've built relationships with over time.  After working corporate for years after college,  this has been a full breath of fresh air for me, and a restart to what I really want to do, serve my community.  Now it may be disappearing because the owner just got tired and wanted to be done.  I've been bummed since Monday evening;  even "Albert" from building 4 noted my dismay, he recommended I visit his Yogi. 

I had started to wipe down the tables again from the lunch rush and I heard a "You missed a spot" from across the room. I cracked a side smile and turned to see a now familiar face.

     "Hello Joah."

     

     "Hull-low Joe-Ah", he replies, making an over exaggerated face, "why you say my name like that? You act like you're not happy to see me or something! I'm just trying to help you out with spot checking, see, I'm a good friend like that."

     

     "Oh really? Okay, well thank you good friend, or should I say Captain Obvious?"

    

     "Look at me, I'm de captain now!", he retorts in his best Somali accent. I had to finally laugh.

     

     "How can I help you today sir?"

     

     "You can get that little splash of mustard right there, nah I'm playing, I just wanted your thoughts on some the photos I took this week, see if you could put some captions to them. I like how you were wording things looking at the gallery the other day."

     "Me? You're the poet, I just speak what comes to my mind."

     "Yeah, but I could use a different perspective; I need the truth from Truth! See what I did there? Pleeeeease?"

Here before me, this goofy puppy dog face. I sigh internally thank you for the distraction Joe-Ah. This time of day the Tango's isn't super busy, so I took a few moments to investigate. I carefully slid out prints from his weathered leather portfolio, examining the black and white photos with care.  I see expressive faces, different age groups, different walks of life. There are pictures of some of the architecture and buildings around the neighborhood, and even a few classic cars.

     "These are really dope...I love this one." I held up the picture of some older gents playing chess at a park.  There are a couple of kids watching them with rapt attention.  "I'd call this 'Generations of Kings', you know, like a chess reference and reference too the subject ages."  He took out his composition book and started to jot words down.  I went through naming, he kept writing things down, occasionally asking why I named something that way or adding an additional thought.  Time leapt quicker than I anticipated. I looked at my watch and realized I needed to do prep work for the late shift before they came in at 6.  

     "My Truth, gotta go?"

     "Yeah, I better help Sadie."

     "I hear ya, well thank you so much, I appreciate your input!"

     "Anytime!", I say, and I get up to grab his latte mug and plates.  He insisted on taking it up to the counter for me, and before he left he handed me an origami lotus before moonwalking out the door.

On the Metro home, I unfolded the notebook paper lotus to find another beautiful poem:

Every time I'm in your company

I am humbled.

The way

One is moved to bend on knee

When in presence of a Queen

It is the highlight of my week

Just to observe

Your majesty.

I stared at my sneakers, mind blown, trying to convince my heart to not get caught up.  Because a guy like him, at the end of the day, more than likely wouldn't choose me.  Would he?