The Late Bird's Tale: A Tale of the Floating World

Part 1 || 4 | Judy | Two Customers I, The Three Jacks

Written on 3/28/21. Spring Season, March 2021 edition (1st scene).
Written on 2/3/21. Winter Season, February 2021 edition (2nd scene).
Judy Windermere (picture reference).

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Part 1 || 4 | Judy

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A Tale of Two Customers I

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After the daytime workers of The Cake Fairy wound down their operations at 9:00 p.m. and finished cleaning up and closing its doors by 10:00 p.m., the first ghosts and yokai and other oddities arrived an hour later. Most of them were the ghosts of waitresses from long-defunct eateries, but a few of them were effeminate yokai males from abroad, and they all came in wearing maid outfits and aprons and began their shifts by prepping the tables and chairs. And just before midnight rolled around, the two resident spirits of the cafe, the ghosts of two brothers that had set up a confectionary shop here in bygone days, manifested in the kitchen and began cracking eggs and mixing them with flour and sugar and kneading dough and baking them into tonight's assortment of mooncakes and cheesecakes and tiramisu and other delicious sweets.

And as they all started on their work, their phantom customers started manifesting on top of empty chairs at newly-cleaned tables and making their orders. Amongst them was Judy Windermere, still dreaming about her friend at this time and unaware of her whereabouts. And just like in her dream, the girl sat at a table next to the curb and ordered cheesecake and ginger ale for herself and chocolate cake and cherry soda for her friend, then waited for her friend's arrival.

Yet when the waitress returned with both cakes and drinks, she noticed that Judy's friend had not yet arrived. And when the waitress placed the orders on the table, she saw Judy's flighty glances at her surroundings.

So she said, "Is everything all right, miss?"

"I'm fine," Judy said.

The waitress knew she wasn't but humored her young customer, saying, "I'm sure your friend will arrive soon."

But Judy said nothing to her assurance.

So the waitress stalked towards the other customers and waited on their orders but kept an eye on her lonesome customer. She saw Judy eating her cheesecake and drinking her ginger ale, all the while checking her smartphone over and over.

"Poor girl," the waitress said.

Another waitress came up carrying a row of plates with slices of cake on both of her arms and said, "More tables are waiting, Jane," and she went on her way.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Jane said and stalked back into the cafe and through the entrance to get more orders of cake from the front counter.

While the waitresses waited on other tables, Judy had finished her cheesecake and her ginger ale and now kept checking her smartphone and waiting for her friend to arrive. Yet to any observer taking a glance in Judy's direction, it became clear that her friend had chosen to stand her up, because the girl now began eating her friend's chocolate cake and drinking her friend's cherry soda. And in front of all the customers and waitresses, Judy started crying as she ate and drank, turning curious heads her way amidst whispers of boyfriend trouble.

Which included Jane, who had finished taking more orders of cake to a table and happened to look Judy's way. At the sight of Judy's dejected face, she fisted her hands and said, "Damn him! Whoever stood her up is a total bastard!"