Natalie had been working as parttime waitress in this cafe for three or three and half months. She had seen different kind of people coming and going. She had also seen the same kind of people who would patron the place now and then. And then.. there were also certain type of people that would always be around every day, without fail.
One of them was this man who came by everyday at 4 pm and would always choose the same corner table and would always be around for two hours. He came at 4 pm and left at 6 pm every day, rain or shine.
Natalie thought that the man must be either a spy or a freak. She never paid special attention to this guy initially.
One fine spring day, this man came with a little girl. He broke the pattern! He had never been with anyone before, much less a little girl. Natalie was curious. She knew that she had no reason to be curious and yet, she found herself walking towards that man's table.
Now that she stood right there, she didn't know what to do or say.
"Yes. can I help you?"
Natalie's eyes widened. This man initiated the conversation. It would appear as if he was the waiter and she was the patron. You are doomed, Natalie- she told herself.
"Erm yes.. your usual order sir?" She managed to compose herself.
"Yes, please. Thank you.." The man replied.
"And your.. your daughter's order?"
The little girl shook her head and the man replied, "Ice water for her please".
"She IS your daughter?" Natalie asked in disbelief.
And two second later, she blushed in disbelief. Why couldn't that girl be his daughter? And what did that has to do with her?
The man laughed. His eyes shone, just like a little child.
"No Natalie.. she is Julie, my niece.."
"Oh..." Natalie could only utter out that short reply.
And three seconds later, she was confused.
She was confused because the man called her name as if they have known each other for a long time.
And more importantly, she was confused because she was rather happy that the man knew her name.
The next day, the man came alone.
"Would you like to try something new Sir?" Natalie decided to serve him.
"Is the new one better than the old one?" He asked in return.
Natalie pondered for a while.
"May not be better but.. it will certainly be different. And.."
"And...?"
"And I am the only one who serve this."
"Oh?.. It's not from the menu?"
"Definitely not. It's Natalie's specialty."
The man smiled. He thought for a while and said, "If it's not in the menu, how shall I pay for this order?"
"Well... maybe.. you could pay by telling me a story.." Natalie blushed as she said this.
"What kind of story?"
"A story about a man who always come to this cafe every day and sit for two hours."
"I am afraid this new menu is too expensive for me."
"You can always pay in credit."
"What makes you think I will pay it off eventually?"
"You are a loyal man".
"You are a naive girl".
"A naive girl who finds a loyal man".
The man was about to open his mouth again.. only to sigh eventually.
"You are not only naive.. you are stubborn."
"You are not only loyal.. you are gentle".
"You are just like your sister."
"You are just like the man my sister loved when she was alive".
"So that man was loyal too?"
Natalie nodded.
"Then he must still be in love with your sister".
Natalie nodded again.
After which she walked away.
"Where are you going?" the man asked.
"Prepare my specialty for you", she answered as she smiled.
She smiled because the man was not only loyal and gentle.
He was not too poor either. He could afford her specialty.
She smiled because she was not only naive and stubborn.
She was confident too. She was confident that he would come for her specialty again.
One of them was this man who came by everyday at 4 pm and would always choose the same corner table and would always be around for two hours. He came at 4 pm and left at 6 pm every day, rain or shine.
Natalie thought that the man must be either a spy or a freak. She never paid special attention to this guy initially.
One fine spring day, this man came with a little girl. He broke the pattern! He had never been with anyone before, much less a little girl. Natalie was curious. She knew that she had no reason to be curious and yet, she found herself walking towards that man's table.
Now that she stood right there, she didn't know what to do or say.
"Yes. can I help you?"
Natalie's eyes widened. This man initiated the conversation. It would appear as if he was the waiter and she was the patron. You are doomed, Natalie- she told herself.
"Erm yes.. your usual order sir?" She managed to compose herself.
"Yes, please. Thank you.." The man replied.
"And your.. your daughter's order?"
The little girl shook her head and the man replied, "Ice water for her please".
"She IS your daughter?" Natalie asked in disbelief.
And two second later, she blushed in disbelief. Why couldn't that girl be his daughter? And what did that has to do with her?
The man laughed. His eyes shone, just like a little child.
"No Natalie.. she is Julie, my niece.."
"Oh..." Natalie could only utter out that short reply.
And three seconds later, she was confused.
She was confused because the man called her name as if they have known each other for a long time.
And more importantly, she was confused because she was rather happy that the man knew her name.
The next day, the man came alone.
"Would you like to try something new Sir?" Natalie decided to serve him.
"Is the new one better than the old one?" He asked in return.
Natalie pondered for a while.
"May not be better but.. it will certainly be different. And.."
"And...?"
"And I am the only one who serve this."
"Oh?.. It's not from the menu?"
"Definitely not. It's Natalie's specialty."
The man smiled. He thought for a while and said, "If it's not in the menu, how shall I pay for this order?"
"Well... maybe.. you could pay by telling me a story.." Natalie blushed as she said this.
"What kind of story?"
"A story about a man who always come to this cafe every day and sit for two hours."
"I am afraid this new menu is too expensive for me."
"You can always pay in credit."
"What makes you think I will pay it off eventually?"
"You are a loyal man".
"You are a naive girl".
"A naive girl who finds a loyal man".
The man was about to open his mouth again.. only to sigh eventually.
"You are not only naive.. you are stubborn."
"You are not only loyal.. you are gentle".
"You are just like your sister."
"You are just like the man my sister loved when she was alive".
"So that man was loyal too?"
Natalie nodded.
"Then he must still be in love with your sister".
Natalie nodded again.
After which she walked away.
"Where are you going?" the man asked.
"Prepare my specialty for you", she answered as she smiled.
She smiled because the man was not only loyal and gentle.
He was not too poor either. He could afford her specialty.
She smiled because she was not only naive and stubborn.
She was confident too. She was confident that he would come for her specialty again.
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