Page 30 of The Facilitator 1

“Mackenzie,” I heard. A man walked from behind the counter with a tea towel in hishands.

“Ed,busy?”

“Of course. What can I do foryou?”

“I’ll have my usual, and this lady needs to experience what you have onoffer.”

“Ma’am, let’s start with strength,” he said tome.

I shrugged my shoulders. I either bought Scott’s favoured brand of instant, or whatever was the first my hand reached on the supermarket shelf. I’d never visited a coffee shopbefore.

“Let me get some blends together and you can taste, decide what you like,” Edsaid.

“What do you think I should buy?” I askedMackenzie.

“I’m not going to answer that. You’re going to choose. You’re not swapping one’s man preference foranother’s.”

I walked around the shop, reading and inhaling deeply the different aromas. A hand on my hip brought my attention back and to the tray of small coffee cups that had been placed on thecounter.

“Taste each one,” Ed said. “Take a sip of waterbetween.”

I lifted the first cup to my mouth. I didn’t drink my coffee black usually but took a sip. It wasn’t as hot as I’d have made at home. I did as instructed and took a sip of water between. As I progressed up the line, the coffee became stronger, more aromatic, andsmoother.

“Well?” Mackenzieasked.

“I like them all,” I replied with alaugh.

I started at the beginning again. Mackenzie leaned against the counter. He held in his hand a small espresso cup, just the way he drank his coffee affected me. Everything he did was slow and measured. I watched from the corner of my eye as he closed his eyes and inhaled before each sip. He clearly appreciated hiscoffee.

“I still can’t decide,” Isaid.

“Then choose three, first, middle, and last,” hesaid.

He nodded to Ed, who gathered three jars and measured out coffee into small brown paper bags. He stuck labels on the front and placed them into a paper carrier bag, then handed itover.

“How much?” I asked, as I fished into my jeans pocket for my debitcard.

I saw Ed look over to Mackenzie, who justsmiled.

“On me,” Mackenziesaid.

“Thankyou.”

“Can you give her some proper cups and a cafetière,” headded.

Ed pulled a boxed set from ashelf.

“I have cups,” Isaid.

“You have mugs, not the same thing. To appreciate coffee, it should be in smalldoses.”

I accepted the second carrier bag and we left theshop.

“I could have paid for that myself,” Isaid.

“I’m sure you could have, but why, if you don’t haveto?”

I caught him subtly check hiswatch.

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