Close Encounters

of the Coffee Kind.

Early shivery swim, half prom walk, and early into college to get a coffee and toast and do some prep.

Long slow queue for coffee eating away at my prep time. But I stood there nonetheless.

The man in front of me (who I have never seen before) turned around to me and said ‘I would like to buy you a coffee’. I was taken aback but I smiled and said ‘thank you that would be lovely’. So we waited together and we chatted. He told me he was a fully qualified chef but because of an aggravated shoulder injury, he couldn’t continue. He decided to retrain and was embarking on a new career and into the second year of his training. He was charming and interesting and I enjoyed our chat.

The coffee was aromatic and cheered me up so much. A close encounter indeed. ‘Goodbye’ he said ‘and have a lovely day’.