Here is the second variation I wrote about the coffee shop. I posted the other one last week. Two completely different story starts born from the same idea. Now, do you see why I say I have “clutter in the attic” of my writer’s mind?
Good Vibes – A Story Start
Keke’s new bright-red Reeboks squeaked on the clean teal tiles of the coffee shop floor. The tile installer had looked at her like she was crazy the entire time he laid down the almost florescent ceramic squares. Keke hadn’t cared. She knew that it would look perfect with the vintage chrome and glass display case she had gotten for a steal at an auction the day after she bought this building. And she’d been right.
She paused, flipped the hand-towel, with a printed pattern of big-eyed cats, onto her shoulder, and closed her eyes. She inhaled the faint lemony smell of the polish she’d used to clean the five wooden tables spaced a little too far apart in the room. The shop was big enough for double that number of tables, but she wouldn’t put just any furniture in there. It had to feel right in the space.
She opened her eyes and looked around, pleased with the furnishings. Two of the tables had Singer sewing machine treadles as bases. The sinuous black cast metal a tribute to the unsung contributions of so many women in the past.
Another table had the cement pedestal from an old birdbath she’d found at the curb on garbage day. She’d painted it a pale green and stippled a pattern of dark green over it to simulate moss. It had been her first try at something like that. If she closed one eye and squinted, it looked pretty good. But she’d had fun doing it, and it felt right in the shop, so it stayed.
The two other tables were recently added and still in the shop on a trial basis. One was a big chunky square with a string of painted hearts around the edges. It was probably a little too cutesy, but she wanted to give it a chance.
The last was a memory box table, at least that’s what she called it. The table was square with a four-inch deep compartment under the entire glass top. Resting inside in a massive jumble was an assortment of small children’s toys like a single Lincoln L
Keke loved listening to the little kids and the big ones who peered through the glass and discovered a new toy they hadn’t seen before. This table would probably stay. She got a lot of enjoyment from watching her customer’s being entertained. And without a single electron or digital button pushed.
With a smile of satisfaction, Keke walked to the front to unlock the door for the day. Someone was already waiting at the door, but with the sun streaming in the large glass pane of the cherry wood framed door, the person was only a silhouette.
She stopped halfway across the room when the person stepped back, and sunlight hit his face. Her heart skipped a beat. Ryan.