Joe and Dianne Through The Looking Glass

Chapter 3 - Charleston Week

That morning was different, even before she arrived Alice felt a gloominess in the air. After the glorious summer which the whole country had shared with typical British double mindedness: one minute rejoicing in the heat, the next complaining about how long it had lasted, finally the come down was about to begin. Overnight the wind had shifted and begun to whip round corners and straight through inappropriately thin clothing. Cardigans and coats had been fished out of wardrobes and this morning Alice noticed a briskness in the stride of those passing the café as they hurried past, spurred on by the chilliness of the air. She hadn't seen the pair since earlier the previous week and was beginning to wonder if whatever they had been working on together had come to an end when hurrying round the corner she spotted the red headed girl. Her head was down, her furry coat pulled up tight around her face against the wind and she was talking on her mobile phone. Alice reached into the fridge for the almond butter knowing exactly what her order would be, but unexpectedly the girl didn't burst through the door in her usual enthusiastic manner. Alice glanced out the window hoping she hadn't passed by in favour of one of the big name chains round the corner, Alice herself had only ventured inside one of those swanky looking places once. She had expected to be overwhelmed by the experience but instead she had come away feeling disappointed and disgusted. The whole visit had felt impersonal and processed, like being on a conveyor belt in a "coffee factory" instead of enjoying a drink somewhere restful and welcoming. The two things that had horrified her the most were; firstly the demand for her name at the till – for the life of her Alice just could not understand why it was necessary to surrender her name in order to purchase a simple black coffee - she would certainly never dream of asking her customers their names. Secondly, and worst of all, the floor in the cavernous warehouse of a place had been filthy. Alice had got used to a lot of modern ideas since starting work in the shop; like serving tea in mugs with a soggy solitary floating tea bag (Alice longed to add a few small teapots to the shelf on the back wall but hadn't yet plucked up the courage) but she was sure that a dirty floor was just as unhygienic in 2018 as it had been fifty years previously and it wouldn't be tolerated in any place she worked in thank you very much.

Thankfully, it would seem the girl hadn't passed by but could now be seen huddled against the wall opposite, presumably finishing her phone call in private. She looks cold thought Alice, the girl was leaning against the wall trying to get out of the wind, one hand holding her phone up to her mouth in that strange right angled way young people seemed to favour these days and the other thrust deep into her pocket. Alice bent down to retrieve the box of rainbow coloured juices and restock the fridge but as she did so her eye was caught by a flash of movement. Now the girl was shaking her head fiercely and waving her phone free hand about so that her Alice could see the shimmer of her bracelets as they caught the light. Suddenly she pulled the phone away from her mouth abruptly and pressed the screen with forceful finality. Then she was still. Alice watched all the fight go out of her as she sighed deeply and leant back against the wall, the wind whipping her hair across her face. Alice could see from the way she ran her fingers under her eyes to try to save her make-up from running that she was crying. Minutes of indecision passed as Alice busied herself with largely unnecessary jobs at the front of the shop, always with one eye on the woebegone figure opposite. Should she go out and speak to her? Surely she'd be better in the warm with a hot drink to drown her sorrows in rather than outside on that cold corner. But to go out and actually engage her in conversation seemed much too forward to Alice, like crossing an invisible line drawn between her and her customers – she was there to serve them drinks and food, not to get involved in their lives after all. A feeling of dread to match the gradually deteriorating weather settled on Alice, she did hope her favourite couple hadn't fallen out, what a waste that would be of the spark she had begun to see flickering into life between them.

Finally, the girl bent down and found a tissue in her bag, she dabbed at her face and then walked towards the shop. Quickly Alice turned to make her usual coffee order so that it was almost ready by the time the girl approached the counter. Alice gave her an encouraging smile and placed one of the emergency lollies (kept on the shelf for children who had fallen over or remembered their manners) next to the cup. The girl glanced at it then back at Alice who nodded and patted her hand gently. Welling up with tears again, the girl managed a watery smile before sitting down at their usual table with her back to the door. Alice kept a watchful eye on her for the next ten minutes. Aware of not stepping over the mark she didn't want to interfere but it was so unlike the cheerful red head to look anything but bubbling over with infectious happiness that she was concerned for her. Gradually the coffee seemed to revive her a little. Alice could tell from the occasional sniff that her tears were subsiding and she set about repairing her make-up using her phone as a mirror.