Coffee is the Best Medicine...

September 18, 2005

...The Strange Happenings in a Coffee Shop

 

(A serial. You may start reading at any point in the story.

Why not start with this episode?)

"Oh my Gawd! There goes my inspector, fired just when I got him the way I want him," Rose murmured.

"Oh, no!" I replied. "We can't let that happen." I spoke with defiance, although I had no idea how to stop it.

Our friend, the Inspector, stared at the lady supervisor, his jaw gaping in surprise. "Huh?" appeared to be all he could manage.

"You're fired, mister! I'm giving your route to someone else."

"Please, no! The pancakes here are so good!"

Glaring back at him, the supervisor spoke. "That's the problem, mister! You are too busy eating to tend to your responsibilities as a health inspector. Good Lord, man! We have standards!"

"He is doing a marvelous job!" The clear deep voice coming from the front, resonated through the room. All heads turned to see an imposing figure in the doorway. The tall man filled the frame, or at least it seemed so with the morning light glaring behind him, casting his bold figure in silhouette. "That man is the hardest-working health inspector I've ever seen. He personally tests every pancake for goodness and nutrition."

Yikes! Where did this guy come from? Then I noticed a curious thing happening. As the fellow came closer, his face, shadowed before, now came into the light. "Oh my Gawd!" I murmured. He was the most handsome man I'd ever seen--a broad ready smile, sparkling eyes, high cheekbones, and handsome brown hair neatly combed behind his ears, but long enough to be worn more free and relaxed. I noticed the supervisor staring at the fellow in much the same way as I. A quick glance around the room revealed all the ladies' eyes were riveted on the fellow. The guy was a real dreamboat.

He walked in with bold steps, moving  quickly and with importance. The supervisor watched,  looking wilted and swaying as she stood. 

"Please leave that good fellow alone." he said, walking straight up to the lady. "Don't fire him."

"Okay," she answered in a voice as limp as a wet rag. 

"And you, my sweet, will sit now and have a cup of coffee with me."

"Okay." She followed. I'm not certain her feet ever touched the floor.

"Yay! I don't know who that man is, but I'm sure glad he happened by," Rose said over my shoulder.

"Yes," I replied. I studied the fellow. Something about his movement was familiar -- a movement of confidence, but the gait...I'd seen that gait before.

"Oh my Gawd!" I whispered. A blinding epiphany about knocked me off my feet. "It's Alfred!"

 

"What did you say?" Rose asked. 

"That's Alfred!"

Rose stared at the fellow. I watched as her eyes widened in recognition. "JO, I think you're right."

We watched Alfred lead the supervisor to a table in the back. He pulled out a chair for her, and next he sat and took her hand in his. The fellow was absolutely debonair!

"I guess that supervisor won't be any trouble from now on." Rose said. Then she added, "Well, you know, two health inspectors in the hand is worth three in the bush." 

To be Continued

Copyright 2005 JO Janoski

PROJECT GUTENBERG

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