Coffee percolates. The barista fills a mug and hands it to the patron. The patron gives the barista a debit card. The barista swipes it and asks if the patron wants a receipt. The patron says no and drops a dollar bill into the glass jar in front of the register with the “Tips are greatly appreciated!” sign taped to it. The patron turns and walks toward the exit, pausing long enough to glance at the back corner, where Garrett Douglas, apple-cheeked and eager, strums his acoustic guitar and sings longingly about things that are important to him. The patron, remembering that it’s Tuesday, realizes that he’s late for a dinner with a colleague. He turns, opens the door of the coffee shop, and strolls toward his car, gently sipping his coffee. He unlocks his car, gets in, and starts the engine. He backs out of his parking space, puts his car in drive, and proceeds toward the exit of the parking lot. He puts on his right turn signal. He waits for two cars and an HVAC van before he pulls out. The light ahead turns yellow, but there’s enough time for him to make it through. He sips his coffee, turns on the radio, which happens to be on a news station, and turns it off. Silence, he thinks, is golden sometimes.
Posts
