New in Town

Ruby had arrived in the town barely a fortnight earlier and still knew nobody. On Monday morning she slipped into a small café near the station, hoping for a quiet coffee before her shift. The waitress, Rosa, looked up from the counter and smiled. “Hello! Do you like coffee?”

“Yes, I do,” Ruby said. “Do you want milk?” “No, thank you.” Rosa brought the cup herself and set it down by the window, in no hurry to leave. “Does your family live here?” she asked casually. “No, they live in Turkey,” Ruby replied, and for a moment her gaze drifted to the street.

“Do you work near here?” Rosa went on. “Yes, I do. I work at the library.” “Does the library open at nine?” “Yes, it does. Do you read books, Rosa?” “Yes, I do,” she said with a grin. “I read at night, once the café is closed and the floor is mopped.”

A man at the next table, who had been eavesdropping behind his newspaper, could not resist joining in. “Does she know the town?” he asked Rosa. “I doubt it,” she said. “Do you want a map, Ruby?” “Yes, please!” Ruby laughed, surprised to find herself enjoying being the object of so much kind curiosity.

Finally it was Ruby’s turn to ask something. “Do you know a good bakery?” Rosa burst out laughing. “Yes, I do. It is next door.” Ruby finished her coffee, thanked them both and stepped out into the cool morning, already thinking about coming back.