Something Complicated

10/10/2022

Download my Graphic Novel! (Based on a true story 😀)

When Weird Coffee Shops Comply with Local Regulations, and are permitted to stock any kind of beverage, they do it in a manner that is most often referred to as “organic”. And this means that when you take an order for a cup of coffee from the register, the coffee isn’t made from beans from anywhere on the planet, but is instead a product grown on the premises. There are a great many types of beans being grown here, and these include: Black, Green, Yellow, Purple, Orange… You can have any desired flavour of coffee beans, or just plain old black bean, green bean, or purple bean. All beverages are free, so please don’t hesitate to purchase anything else on this fine day. As always, if you feel like it will help you with your studies, try one of our organic coffees or other local beverages! The only requirement to take this advice is to not get caught drinking them on campus, though if you want to try them in person, we will be happy to accommodate you. We encourage you to visit our little coffee shop once a week or so, just to enjoy a nice cup of freshly brewed coffee.
A large sign hanging above the front door read ‘WEIRD COFFEE SHOPS’, with the word ‘OPEN’ underneath in bold, shiny letters. It was a beautiful day out; sunny, blue skies above, and not too much wind or rain blowing in from outside. Not even a hint of mist clinging to the air. Just a lovely day for getting some studying done. It wasn’t quite the time of year when students started their exams, but at least half of them had already signed up for those dreaded tests anyway, which meant everyone would still be doing their exams, despite the fact that there were exams happening around every corner of the globe, and therefore the world seemed to move in slow motion. No matter how hard everyone tried, they just couldn’t get ahead fast enough. Everyone felt this way about university, and life in general, to be fair. If they could just finish everything up soon, they would be free of finals and free from all the stress and pressure of school. They wanted to take things easy before they really took over, since all they needed to focus on right now was the upcoming exams.
As the bell rang over the door, signalling that someone new had entered the building, a man stepped forward into the small shop. He was tall and slim, standing a head taller than everyone else around him. He wore dark clothing, his face hidden behind a large scarf, though his long, wavy hair was sticking out through the top layer of fabric. With his hands clasped behind his back, he looked like some sort of superhero who had been thrown into a time machine. A large, thick beard covered most of his upper lip, while his eyes looked a lot more serious than any superhero could ever hope to possess. His clothes weren’t what you normally would call professional. He wore a pair of ripped jeans, a white shirt, red suspenders hanging off his chest, and combat boots that went well beyond just fitting him. On his feet sat a pair of bright yellow gloves, which he then used to grab a nearby stool and pull it towards himself.
The guy sat down on the stool with an exaggerated groan. He reached his hands out into the air and stretched each muscle along his arms, cracking his knuckles one by one. This caused everyone around him to look up, wondering what was going to happen next. When they saw what was about to happen, they gasped and covered their mouths in shock, but nobody dared make a sound. Nobody knew what to say. What could they possibly say? Some people said, “I’m so sorry for you”, others said, “Oh my god, your hands!”, others said, “You broke another mug!”. But none of these suggestions would do him any good. The guy wasn’t listening. He didn’t care. He wasn’t concerned with making friends or worrying about whether anyone thought he deserved sympathy. All he cared about was his routine, because nothing mattered anymore. Nothing but his job.
He grabbed a paper cup and filled it with the most generic coffee blend anyone has ever heard of. When he put it under the nozzle, he pushed the lever forwards with such force that he managed to break the handle clean in two and shatter a few drops inside. After putting in the straw, he let the liquid drip through and waited patiently for the coffee to cool. The man did his best not to seem fazed, however, knowing full well that he was acting very out of character. People might have assumed that this customer was some sort of lunatic. Or perhaps it was simply because he was in a coffee shop alone. Whatever it was, no one questioned this behavior. Even if they noticed how weirdly he was behaving, they decided to treat him the same way that anybody else would treat him: completely normal.
After about five minutes, the stranger finally got up to leave. As he walked out of the cafe, he left a large tip. The money landed squarely on the counter. He didn’t care. His heart had been broken once again, but this time it hadn’t been his body that broke. That was something he was sure of.