Music, Coffee, and Literature (Old Version)

Chapter One

Before any of my other senses could adapt to the incredibly different atmosphere from the busy New York sidewalk, my ears pick up on the abrasive melody of "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac. Then I feel myself melt into the calm ambiance of the record shop I'd visited only once before— the day after moving to this incredible city.

By the time I fully come into my surroundings— the smell of dusty old records, the chatter of the few people in the shop— "You Make Loving Fun", the following song on Fleetwood Mac's best album fills the store with a sense of lightheartedness. Everywhere you looked you can see someone bouncing lightly to the beat, or tapping their foot as they pick up an album.

Everyone except one woman, whose presence seemed to demand my attention as soon as I walked in here. She stands almost perfectly still, her back to me. Not even a hair moves on her head, making me think for a fleeting moment that I am looking at a mannequin. Her curly blonde hair is pulled up casually with a thin white ribbon and I honestly think that if anyone else were doing that, it would look messy and careless, but something about this woman leads me to believe she is anything but careless. She's got a black shirt tucked into perfectly tailored black trousers that seem to highlight her flawless golden skin. I notice I'm staring only when she finally turns and begins walking.

I quickly turn my attention to the shelf in front of me, thankful that I actually know the bands and singers in this section. I bite my lip, faking a battle within myself over what album to decide. I actually only brought enough cash for two albums, but for the moment, my only focus is making sure the mysterious woman doesn't think I'm a creep for staring at her. I glance over to where she was standing to find the spot vacant apart from a selection of old posters and a shelf marked with names that I barely recognise.

"Having trouble?" A smooth voice to my right startles me slightly into whipping my head around, now facing the woman who no doubt caught me staring at her earlier. "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." She speaks with a certain softness in her voice, her pale green eyes sparkling with the minimal amount of sunlight flooding in through the windows. It's as if the sunlight were seeking out her face, making her tanned skin glow in the yellow-ish light.

"That's all right." I say quietly, turning my attention back to the shelf in front of me so as not to be caught staring for the second time in a matter of minutes. This woman really could have been a model. That can happen in New York, after all. People from all walks of life wind up here, including me and my brother.

"Might I be of assistance?" She invites, ignoring the fact that I never answered her first question. It's pretty obvious my answer would have been yes. My fingertips meet the album directly in front of me and I pull it away to reveal the one behind it. She doesn't seem to get the hint that I'm trying to ignore her so I take a risk and look at her again.

"Do you work here?" I query, continuing to leave her questions unanswered. She smiles and lets out a short laugh that seems to blend perfectly with Stevie Nicks' voice floating through the store. The intimidating part about her is not the fact that she stands at least three inches above me, or that she's actually pulling off a monochrome outfit. It was that she always seems to be the centre of everyone's attention. Despite being in a shop where people could spend hours at a time picking out a perfect album, it seems as though everyone is looking at her, and subsequently, me.

"I don't. But I like to think I know this place better than the owner." Her thumb motions behind her toward an older looking man that mirrors some of the men I see laying in the street outside. The only thing different about him is that his eyes are full of life as he looks around the store, tapping his fingers to the beat of the music. "So," her voice pulls my focus back to her yet again, "are you going to let me help you choose an album or not?"