Prairie City Social Club

First Coffee

Frank knew he was too old for the jeans and hoodie look but it's what he settled on after some deliberation. He didn't own much else, they were comfortable, and the hoodie helped to hide, at least a few of, his nutritional sins. Today's meeting was never meant to be a date, but Frank wanted to make a good impression on Liv. He wasn't typically one to care about the opinions of others, but when it came to specific people, who he respected, he made an exception. Liv had immediately earned Frank's respect with her brutal display of honesty. Frank thought Liv was cool. He wanted to be more like her.

Prairie City Cafe sat at street level, just above the community meeting room that played host to, among other things, Liv & Frank's introduction. It wasn't yet clear, to Frank, whether this was the determining factor of today's location or if it was no factor at all. Frank lived a tidy fifteen minutes from the cafe, left home at 12:30 and, predictably, arrived 15 minutes early. Not wanting to appear over-eager, Frank passed the cafe and took a short drive along the river, arriving for a second time at 1:00 p.m. sharp. Only later, would he discover that Liv had witnessed this social absurdity from inside. Fortunate for him, such failures were endearing to her. Liv fancied herself a collector of misfits and took pride in being one herself. Upon his return, Frank parked, paid the meter and went in. Liv was sitting near the door.

"You find the place okay?" Liv asked with a smile.

"Yeah, no problem," Frank replied nervously.

"It's one of my go-to spots for mobile work, casual meetups...It's close to home but not too close."

Frank wasn't sure what that last bit meant. "Should we order something?" he replied rather than investigating further.

"I've been here working a while. I've been on drip so far, but their lattes are really good too."

They went to the counter to order. The cashier looked up and said the following, "Welcome back, Liv. Is this your dad?" The young woman gestured toward Frank as she said this.

Frank, a little embarrassed, looked to Liv for help.

"No, this is Frank. Work meeting," Liv offered. "I'll have a medium extra hot, extra shot latte."

"Make that two," Frank added and then paid.

A simple, "Thank you," and then the unlikely duo sat at the bar-like counter at the front window of the cafe. They'd comfortably sit here many times in the coming years, but this first meetup was awkward. Frank fumbled the conversation.

Liv wasn't sure why she was here but didn't mince words. "What's the deal, Frank?" she said abruptly.

Frank shifted in his seat.

"I mean, why do you want to talk? Why am I here?" Liv asked.

"If I knew, we'd be knee deep in lively conversation. I think, what you said at the meeting-"

"My rant...again?" Liv interjected.

"Yes. It was endearing. There's a lot of ritual inside those walls and even more bullshit. You said what you felt, and I'm drawn to that. Especially when it mirrors what I feel," Frank replied.

"I see. So, what, are you here to marry me?" Liv jeered.

Frank knew she was kidding but blushed anyway. 

"No, Olivia, your mother and I just feel..." Frank joked and they both laughed. After a brief pause, "I don't have a goal. I'm just used to feeling alone all the time. Hearing my words come from your mouth made me feel not so alone. I just know that I need more of that. Whatever that means," Frank said.

Liv didn't know what to think. To her, it was a grand, authentic gesture made by an older man that genuinely didn't appear to be trying to fuck her. As it turned out, being appreciated was as foreign to Liv as being seen was to Frank. Each was ignorant to how soon they'd be at home in these feelings.