Page 203 of The Bonus

I drive down to the main street and spot a coffee shop, people are sitting out the front at quaint little tables and chairs. “This will do.”

I park the car and walk in, and once again everyone stops to watch me. Has nobody ever seen a suit before?

Seriously…what is this godforsaken place?

I walk past them and in through the front door of the café, a little bell dings over the door and I walk up to the counter. A young man is serving and he smiles an over-the-top smile. “Hello, how can I help you?”

“Hello, I’ll have a kopi luwak please?”

“A…what?” He frowns.

“A kopi luwak?”

“I don’t know what that is.”

“Right.” Ugh…I look at the board over the register and I don’t know what any of this is. “Okay, give me a Jamaica Blue Mountain.”

“A what, what?”

I exhale. What the fuck do they drink in this place? I need to buy a coffee machine as a matter of urgency.

“Okay just…give me whatever coffee you have.” I sigh.

“Americano?”

“I guess.”

“What was the name?”

“Gabriel.”

He smiles. “That will be three dollars twenty, Gabriel.”

Hell, at that price, it’s probably dishwater. I pay him and go and stand to the side of the café as I wait.

The bell dings and two women walk in. “Hey, Thomas.” They greet the cashier by name.

“Hi, Greer, hi, Sadie,” he says. “The usual?”

“Yes, please.” They take a seat by the window.

“Hey, Thomas,” a man calls from his table. “Your brother must be happy with his game last night, scored in the last five minutes.”

Thomas smiles as he types in the order. “Loving himself more than usual today.”

They all chatter and talk between themselves and I look around at the people in this weird café. Do they honestly all know each other?

And why is everyone being so pathetically nice? It’s like The Twilight Zone.

“Mr. Gabriel,” Thomas calls.

I walk to the counter and he passes me my coffee. “Have a great day, sir.”

“Thanks.” I take the coffee and walk out and back to my car; I take a sip and twist my lips.

Rough…but palatable, I guess.

This place is weird.

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