Martoons

Cast of characters

Thomas

Coffee Lady

*

Thomas clutched Coffee Lady’s hands but they felt lame and clammy. Then she withdrew them and waved him off.

“New Year’s Eve is Western holiday and not big in Korea. Maybe I will work that evening here…”

She distinctly remembered Max mentioning something about a big spending client who’d reserved her services and was paying an enormous fee.

That made it a no-brainer.

“I sorry,” she said with a tremendous amount of dignity and self-assurance. “New Year’s Eve – me – busy. V-I-P client. So sorry.”

She started to turn away, now in charge. 

“Okay,” Thomas interjected, quickly but gently clutching her arm. “You might have to work but could you get an hour or two off, just like tonight?”

* Do you think she’d be able to? *

There was no way.

The hour off Max had granted her tonight was the first time in ten years, and the implicit payback was that she’d work extra hours for the next few … years?  

She waved Thomas off and turned away. Could the Golden God really be this out of touch with her reality?

She turned back to her disgraced hunk: “If I merely ask for time off, Max would razz me for months afterward. I’m sorry Mr Thomas. It is … impossible.”

They could both hear the high decibel drunks returning from the pisser. Thomas could now see that – yes! Shit! – it was Damion and Mr Go.

Coffee Lady reached down and touched Thomas’ arm in a distant, business-like way. “Excuse me dear. Have a good night. See you again. Thank you for visiting me.”

Thomas lowered his head again until Go and Dame were comfortable in their booth. Luckily, they both sat on the same side, facing away from him.

They probably wouldn’t notice him anyway – still splitting their sides with laughter.

Thomas had no interest in their conversation but kept hearing “Miss No this…” and “Miss No that…” then more laughs.

* What are they laughing about? *

He watched Coffee Lady standing by their table patiently waiting for their order.

She giggled with embarrassment. Thomas just shook his head and scoffed in disbelief.

Oh – the divine Coffee Lady. So near and yet so far. And it figured that the damn Damion would be a fly in the ointment.

And that wasn’t the end of it, but what Thomas didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him: 

If he’d had any inkling that it was Damion who’d reserved Coffee Lady for New Year’s Eve, he would have dragged Dame out on the landing right then and there and written ‘Season’s Greetings’ on his face with his knuckles.

But as it was, Thomas collected Perky in his arms and slinked discretely toward the exit.

He didn’t even bother looking back for a little love nod. He’d bombed out. Bad.  

* Could this be the end for Thomas and Coffee Lady? *

*

Tomorrow: Dame and Go finally dig in to their food.