Martoons

Cast of characters

Coffee Lady 

Max

*

Thomas had been out of Coffee Lady’s sight since Christmas night but not out of mind.

This was the first time she’d felt true love in her life and as much as she tried, it wouldn’t let her out of its grip.

She’d been getting preposterous thoughts, like asking Max for New Year’s Eve night off to go and see Thomas in Ulsan.

She fully anticipated the boss’ response and had rehearsed her counterpoint: When he would wave her off and mutter under his breath, “Simply impossible”, she would one-up him by resigning.

Yes. Resigning.

* Could she really do it? *

Would he slap her around? He’d never raised a hand to her before but if there was ever an occasion to do it, this would be it.

But she didn’t care. Nothing could beat down her love for Thomas. She’d take one for the team.

As each day of the week between Christmas and New Year’s went by, she tore off page by page of a little day calendar that sat on her main cafe counter. December 26^th… 27^th…

She became more and more somber. Four days to go.

Three… Hourly, sometimes more, she’d rehearse the act of asking Max for the day off, yet every morning when he’d drop by with the daily supplies delivery, she’d back down.

She eventually worked herself into a frenzy. Finally, it was the 31^st: New Year’s Eve!

This was it. Now or never.

* What is she going to say? *

It was still early in the day; Max was due with his delivery any minute.

Yet if she didn’t work up the courage to ask him this time, he wouldn’t be able to find anyone to replace her for tonight and she’d be stuck here.

And she couldn’t help but think that would be the end of Thomas – and then why go on living? A life without love was one thing, but a life where you’d thrown love away was unconscionable.

Right on schedule, she could hear Max coming up the stairs. His steps were irregular and Coffee Lady could tell he was obviously struggling with a full armload of boxes.

That was normal for him – he called it a ‘lazy man’s load’. After all these years he hated coming up those stairs more than once.

He’d become adept at delicately balancing the usual ceiling-high stack of cartons.

The finishing touch was when he made the last step through the door, and had to bend at the knees to get the top box under the door frame.

Coffee Lady stood firm behind her counter, with her arms crossed, bracing herself for her big announcement.

She was so intent on getting it out that she barely noticed that, this time, Max’s boxes were teetering.

A vicious soju hangover was eating away at his brain. It was throwing off his balance and disturbing his patience and when he hurried slightly through the door – topple!

Down came the top box, and when he tried to compensate to save the rest, others slid off. One even tumbled back down the stairs.

“Ayeesh!” he muttered.

Coffee Lady usually rushed over to his rescue but this time – oddly – she held her ground behind the counter.

Like a cougar waiting to strike, she was pre-occupied with what she had to say and waiting for the appropriate split second.

Finally, it came out – almost on its own. “I have something to say, Sir, and that is that I resign.”

* How is Max going to respond?! *

The words wafted through the air, vibrating Max’s ear drum and filtering through his brain into his mind.

When the meaning became clear a millisecond later, it was like a raw fish knife being thrust through his throbbing heart.

The café was instantly engulfed in a thick silence. Max dutifully placed the boxes neatly on the counter and Coffee Lady busied herself putting them away.

Not knowing quite what to make of what he’d just heard, Max quietly slinked toward the café’s exit. Did she just say something?

“Sir,” Coffee Lady uttered again, “Me – resign.” But her throat was constricted from nervousness and the words were barely audible.

She cleared out the frog. “Sir! Me … resign!”

* Will it sink in for Max this time? *

*

Tomorrow: Coffee Lady quits.