A Life In Moments

A Simple Introduction

I remember the first time I saw her. It was a typical Seattle day in autumn with weather to match. A cold gloomy gray rain. I was just about to start my morning shift at Fresh Ground. A small coffee shop tucked away down a back road. Locals were the only ones who really used it most of the time.

The rain was drumming against the windows as I walked in. Causing an odd melody to float around the empty room. At the same time grey light poured in through the windows. Flowing across the circular oak tables it mingled with warm light from the lamps. Causing a strange gradient from warm to cold. Almost as though the two were living beings fighting for control of the table. Then again maybe that was just me. I had a strange imagination, and often thought of strange things like that. Of course I would never tell anyone about my thoughts. I was a quiet and awkward person usually.

Sitting down on my stool behind the counter I took a look around the room that I knew so well at this point. A calm crackling fire in the corner that covered the red bricks around it in soot. It's light gently flickering against the stone floor and brown walls. The counter in the corner with a glass window showing off the baked goods and other things we sold. It all combined to make quite the atmosphere, and I loved taking it all in sitting behind the counter as I waiting for people to come in through the door.

The day was going so slowly that I was almost dozing of, until the small bell on the door gave a little jingle waking me up. A memorizing girl walked through the door. Her dark amber hair fell down to her hips in wet streaks. Her small figure was warped in a gray trench-coat that framed her in all the right ways. A long red scarf tied around her neck. She looked as though she had come straight off the cover of a magazine. She had a curious look in her light emerald green eyes as she came up to me. She paused a second before speaking.

"Could I perhaps get a dark roast to go?" Her voice was light and melodic. Almost like a bird. I hopped to work pouring her coffee for her. A bit too quickly looking back on it. I probably should have taken it a bit calmer, as I nearly dropped the cup a few times. I handed over the cup and she slid me a five dollar bill.

"Thanks for the coffee..." she said a question in her voice. Her hand gesturing to where my name tag would go.

"Oh. Uh, It's Adam" I stuttered to respond. Realizing I had forgotten to put it on. It wasn't hard as almost no one ever used it.

"Well then. Thanks for the coffee Adam. Feel free to keep the change" she said winking and walking out the door. She got into a silver Audi and left. I was a bit dazed as I sat there, and it wasn't the fire or atmosphere doing it this time.