The Late Night Coffee Drinkers

Phases and Faces

If there's something these friends have, it is number. They always have each others back... it takes three, but never one. Probably three diverse friends makes it more eclectically interesting.

As their friendship grew, the brew gets stronger and when the brew gets tougher they stay stronger.

Francesca is avidly reading Millie's book - a draft made from coffee and frustrations of an expat life.

"You have a voice" Francesca cheered, proud of her friend. "How I bloody wish. If I have a voice then we wouldn't be free riding for the air-con in the café. We would be in a bitching apartment in Manhattan, and my office would be overlooking the City that never sleeps".

Francesca rolled her eyes, "I may not be a journalist, nor as educated as you but have you considered that to get yourself in a bitching apartment just dream of becoming Mrs Murdoch or wishing to be his daughter instead".

Millie smiled, "nah... marriage is not a route for having a remarkable apartment. Jacinda Ardern didn't marry for her position, so did former Australian PM Julia Gillard" proud of them ladies.

Francesca rolled her eyes, "ugh please, free riding is when we stay here, order nothing and charge our gadgets while drinking nothing but filtered tap water". Millie looked at, young Asian millennials... leaving their cares away to their maids and drivers paid for by their parents - financed by American conglomerates who are now paying costly the price (per New York Times 14 May 2019, 'In China, Some Fear the End of Chimerica').

"Well, there are also free loaders who be friend you for the perks of having good company" Francesca's wisdom deepened, by the care she had received from a friend. "You're not a free loader..." but real friends need not finish their sentences, it's understood. It's no different than your favourite barista already knowing your usual brew.

"If only I'm a typical young millennial, I wouldn't even know the value of journalism - the pleasure of writing 1500 words of a damning report. By that I mean, elongating a one liner of an information handed by eye witnesses, corporate moguls and PR mavens. Young people these days, just go on twitter for a 180 character literary knick knacks of politicians or skirmish gossips of people. That's not reportage. If we are in the seventies, I'd make mega bucks, having coffee with Lyndon Johnson and living it large in Manhattan or DC... not an expat listening to skirmish petty reports of which none are damning enough for my editor."

"At least you have a career, not a job that people lie about because it's not damning enough" Francesca offered a new angle. "Oh, Fran I'm sorry I didn't mean to" Millie has a special care for vulnerable people in society especially the ones living on the edge... having grown up as a part of a religious minority herself with wisdom passed on from centuries in the ghetto, she knows it well.

"No I'm not talking about me, look who just entered" she followed the gaze of her eyes... alas it was Olivia.

"Just because she's here, it doesn't mean we will leave. We are two, plus with our baristas... we outnumber them" Millie's pep talk, "just look how she treats and talk to them".

"How I wish my country can say the same to China" Francesca said "though you know I'm half Chinese because of my father but I grew up without him". Millie acknowledged her honesty, and in times like this a family is a good company... a little thank you, that can go a long way.

"No offence though, I don't even read newspapers! They speak the same shit to me, they're all the bla bla bla politicians this and politicians that. I don't care who gets to be the next president, the next new president after that president... I just want to make a living and live my life" Francesca expressed her view in politics "ironically it is the people with a voice and a vision who don't end up leading".

Millie smiled, but what she didn't know was Fran reads her op-eds and culture articles... learning so many and so much things from her.

"With all due respect, you are a true educator. You don't need to complain that you're not appreciated by what you do. You don't need to be a backstabber to colleagues, to a principal etc. to be heard" Francesca's way of saying thank you.

"You too Fran, have a voice" Millie gave her the heads up.

They sipped their 'frappuccino' and Millie broke the silence this time, "you are right. What is the point of telling people you're a teacher when you can't even understand humour, opinion, propagation and seriousness. You Fran, inspired me and because of you I learnt how to have a voice."

Francesca smiled, "wanting to teach kids because it is easy to feed information in their heads thus destroying them or helping them and not having your own kids whether it be by choice or circumstantial which is also down to your individual choice, is probably just as worse as paedophiles... no wonder she hates the Catholics too much".

Millie laughed "competition versus competition", they both laughed.

"I may be trans, but I still am Catholic. I don't care whatsoever what society thinks of me" Francesca declared and this subconsciously emboldened Millie to be a better journalist.

"You known what, I still go to church because the priest is young and handsome" Fran confessed, and they laughed as much as they could.