Coffee Shop Owner Erick 01

Coffee Shop Owner Erick 01

"Don't look now boss, but here comes your secret crush, right on time for her morning cup."

"Mrs. Andrews is just another customer Marci, so treat her as such and please stop giving her your "advice" about things."

"I don't give her advice boss, I just keep the customer relationships healthy with friendly chit chat, you know, for my tips. Oh, and speaking of tips."

"Behave yourself, Marci."

Hi, I'm Erick, I'm 24 and I'm about one year into my coffee shop investment in Middleton. I keep the shop open 7 days a week, so my dating life isn't much of a life at all, not that Marci, my best and oldest employee doesn't keep trying to do something about that. By the way, I refer to Marci as my best employee because not a day goes by that she doesn't remind me verbally that she is my best employee and she has me brain washed from saying it so often.

But I love the spirit of her youthfulness and all. And as maybe you can imagine, coffee shops have a habit of attracting the younger college aged work force and I think that I landed a good with Marci and her understudy, Darci. Or so Marci mumbles to me every day.

Anyways, you know today's youth, right? They know everything and they love to "chit chat" about it and if it helps keep the customers coming back and the employee tip jar full, well, the girls can "chit chat" all they want to, just as long as they are not charging for match maker services on the side.

Now, as far as Mrs. Andrews goes, well, she is actually quite attractive and a sharp dresser. She works in the business tower close to the coffee shop and she is a regular customer and I may or may not have checked her out before. Um, I'd say she is 30 something 40 and she still brings it. Not that I would notice such a thing.

"Another satisfied customer, boss. And hey, a fun fact, she never had the need for implants and her bra size and her age are almost a match this year, plus or minus 2."

"Marci!"

I mean, I couldn't ask the age and bra size follow up question about which was what, right? Besides, I stopped falling for Marci's riddles more than six months ago and I knew that would only be a matter of time before her left eye started to twitch and she would just blurt it out as if were an uncontrollable twitch. Now, if I was the type of guy who actually checked out certain customers, I might go with a bra size of 38, but I'm sticking with 30 something 40 for her age.

"I'm just saying boss and I'm a girl, so I know what guys like and guys like the number 38. I know 38 isn't a prime number, but it's pretty prime beef in the guy handbook, right boss?""

"Well, I'm sure her husband likes the same thing too, so shut it and please wear a full t-shirt tomorrow under your apron."

College kids, right? Everyday is a day at the beach, even though there isn't much of a beach around the Middleton area.

"I just said it boss, I know what guys like and guys like to tip my tips. Anyways, Mrs. Andrews is still married and all, but it's neither of your fault that the divorce court system in Middleton is all bogged down from all the lousy no-good cheating faggot husbands around town these days."

"So, Marci, you're saying that it's just a technicality?"

"And a technicality that you can take slight advantage of tomorrow night at the city sponsored social for Middleton small businesses, which Mrs. Andrews' firm is backing by promoting those "green light" security systems for the cheap."

"Well, I don't know, Marci. Mrs. Andrews has caught my eye and all, but I have to close up the shop tomorrow night and blah, blah, blah."

"I already changed the schedule, so Darci and the new girl will work me and we can close up the shop. By the way, the new girl is working great, but we'll talk about your contributions about getting some help all up in here later, blah, blah, blah."

"Hey, I make the schedules, Marci."

"Or we can pretend that I don't change most things around here anyways because you're just a silly guy who needs a lot of help in life and I'm your best employee. And speaking of that, you probably owe Joe the supplies delivery guy about 500 apologies because he never mixed up a supply order yet. He brings exactly what I ordered."

SOB! Now I know why Joe the supplies delivery guy gives me all those funny looks when I give him the business about screwing up another supply order.

"But I wouldn't even know what to wear to a casual social other than my crumbled blue jeans and blah, blah, blah."

"Or your black Denim jeans with a crisp press, blah, blah, blah."

"Oh, and you know, blah, blah, blah with a sports logo casual t-shirt with less than two holes in it?"

"That's an oil rag, so maybe your light brown crew neck pullover with the fancy stitching around the neckline, blah, blah, blah."

"So, blah, blah, blah, with my new black hoodie?"

"Or maybe your black leather jacket with just the one zipper on the left side, blah, blah, blah."

"Yeah, but I should be clean shaven and all, blah, blah, blah, right?"

"Oh no, don't shave tonight and don't shave tomorrow, boss. Your stubble may give her a chance to make a cute and flirty comment or two. And if she brushes her hand against your stubble growth, well, blah, blah, blah, ooh la, la, la, blah, blah, blah."

"But even casual socials require a cologne of sorts, blah, blah, blah."

"Actually boss, no, your natural scent is actually pretty nice, blah, blah, blah, I mean according to Darci and the new girl, blah, blah, blah."

Oh, and folks, don't hold your breath waiting for me to engage with Marci about my contributions in the hiring of some more help in the coffee shop. She's convinced that the fancy advertisement mannequin I ordered was for other purposes, which she is totally wrong about. I mean, I immediately turned it over to the Joe the supplies delivery guy for a safe return and he promised me that he would take care of that just as soon as supply chain issues were resolved.

"Excuse me, boss? Where are you going? Weren't we going to talk about how you thought it was a good idea to buy a sex doll to help out behind the counter?"

"Shut it, Marci, that was an advertisement mannequin to stand up in the corner and hold a cup of coffee as she gazed off into the distance. Ah, I should get back to my office."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, boss! And which corner of the shop is this woman advertising in because I don't see any such advertising mannequin in my shop. I mean, sometimes Darci falls asleep standing up in the corner, but just where is Miss Java Joe?"

Oops, her shop? Let's concentrate on that statement, right?

"I already called "shut it", so shut it, Marci. Besides, Joe the supplies delivery guy said that she was defective and he promised that he would take good care of her until the worldwide supply chain issues are fully resolved or at least until his mom finds her in the basement."

Whew, right? I mean, not that I locked the door to my office or anything, LOL, for the next 18 hours, like until it was time for the small business social. And I was pleasantly surprised at how many cars were parked in the community center parking lot.

"Well, well, well, look who finally came out of his business and decided to socialize with literally anyone else other than that fireball who runs your cashier counter. And with such nice fashion sense too! Hi Erick, it's nice to see and you look very nice tonight."

"Hey Mrs. Andrews, it's good to see you and thanks for the compliment, but look at you in a dress that doesn't exactly scream casual, not that I'm complaining."

"Hmmm, and you're sweet too. However, and please forgive me Erick, but before we go any further, ah, your fireball, has she been sizing me up for your benefit or for her hit squad because I might be stepping on her precious toes?"

"Ugh, Marci! It has been for my benefit, but isn't "sizing up" a little extreme, Mrs. Andrews? I mean, she's just a little spunky and blah, blah, blah, blah."

"Relax Eric, you answered my question and I believe you. And I'm not even all that mad that your little fireball probably selected your outfit tonight, just as long as she did it from a distance. It's just that, well, you know, right? The way her left eye twitches and stuff."

"LOL, that just means your answers to her very nosey questions weren't detailed enough. So, shall we grab a cocktail and mingle, Mrs. Andrews?"

"Oops, I wasn't finished yet Erick and being alone with you tonight like this may not be all that easy, so while we have a few more moments, there are a couple of things that I am mad about it and we should talk about them."

Well, hells bells, right? A catch, there's always a catch and if I heard her blah, blah, blah correctly, there are at least two catches. Oh, and talk too!

"OMG Erick, do you have a medical issue with your eye too? Anyways, I'm mad that I'm technically still married and I'm mad that I have to meet with each small business owner tonight to explain the "green light" project, which will keep me busy, but I'll be even madder if we don't manage to steal away at least a few moments alone again before the social is over, like in a more private setting."

Well, maybe not all "catches" aren't all that bad to overcome, right? I mean, I didn't hear any blah, blah, blah mad at me, so, whatever, right? And I could hallways and doors, so maybe the "catches" weren't meant for tonight.

"And by the way Erick, your little fireball has texted me a couple of times today and even though a few of her suggestions were a little over the top for me, I don't mind telling you that she also directed my wardrobe tonight too! You know, on the inside. Bye now, I have to push the security systems."

Oh, oh, oh, mad is on and mad has Marci's face on it! Well, you know, after I call Marci and learn a little more about her suggestions and stuff.

"Boss, I'm not getting in the middle of your love life, but it will take much less than a lifetime to figure out what Mrs. Andrews is wearing or not wearing tonight at the social. I mean, find a private place and get a feel for things. Anyways, I have customers, so I have to go."

"Wait a minute, Marci. What the hell does that blah, blah, blah mean?"

"Look boss, she's holding true to her ridiculous piece of paper for a while, so things are only going to go so far tonight, so just make the best out of it. But listen, while you're holding me on the phone and away from our customers, well, that sissy fem boy Lizzy is here looking for you and I know he wants to do some stuff with you, so should I tell him to wait around? I mean, I'm your best employee and I'm working every angle for you boss, blah, blah, blah. Besides, Lizzy boy is cute tonight and you probably have a boner already from Mrs. Andrews, so should I blah, blah, blah stall fem boy Lizzy?"

Oops, ah, an asteroid must have taken out all of the communication satellites at the same time because that call was dropped and dropped quick!

End Coffee Shop Owner Erick 01