I ordered my coffee, shuffled across to the furthermost corner of the coffee shop and plopped myself into the armchair.
The coffee arrived. And a voice with it. The voice asked “Are you okay?”
I managed a quick, weak smile and an automated “Yes, thank you”
Then, the question filtered in, along with the look on the face of the waitress and softness in her voice and I explained further
“Just a late night, but the coffee should do the trick.”
Three women sitting at a table ahead of me, stopped in the midst of an early morning gossip session and turned to have a good look at me.
Generally the type to blend into the background, I was surprised that someone here knew me well enough to tell when I was having a bad day.
Not really a coffee drinker, I had first taken to Second Cup for the sheer variety of flavors they offered. After some testing, I became a devout maple latte fan. I did pay a few dirhams extra for my coffee, however, the distinct difference in quality over other coffee shops more than made up for it.
Second Cup was cozy, the seating comfortable, the coffee a definite notch above others, and now, the cherry on the top – the staff was interested without being intrusive. Interested without being intrusive – such an impossible balance to achieve while training staff.
I find my way to Second Cup anywhere between two to four times a week.
Sometimes just to catch up on my reading, sometimes to observe the world passing by.
Never before had I realized, Maria was noticing me week after week, enough to know when I was in my elements and when I wasn’t.
I thought I was just another coffee drinker slouched at the corner table, occupying it for longer than I should.
Now, I walk in there and say ‘My usual please” and when Maria serves it to me at my table, even though it is self-service, I know she knows me better than “Maple latte at table seven”
