i slow down and make a right into the alley.
there are cop cars all over the place. i wonder what’s going on. but they’re not near where i’m going.
it should be a quick transaction.
i park and look around. the cop cars are empty. there’s a guy in a pickup with the engine running.
i walk toward the back of one of the buildings along the alley where the meet is supposed to take place. he’s not there. maybe the cops scared him off. not likely. him and the cops, they have an understanding.
so i wait. it’s starting to rain. maybe i should find another dealer. but i really need it.
finally he comes to the back door. his face is covered. he holds up the package with my name on it.
is this what you want? he asks.
yeah.
i slip him a bill. he hands me the package.
a cup, really. coffee. guatemalan. my drug of choice.
this is how you get coffee in the age of coronavirus.
May 1, 2020 at 8:57 am
Good one!
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May 1, 2020 at 9:00 am
it’s really kind of like that.
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May 1, 2020 at 9:01 am
So it really did take place in your alley.
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May 1, 2020 at 9:05 am
well, the alley behind the coffee shop.
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May 1, 2020 at 12:10 pm
😃 Got me! I read this right after I went into my coffee shop wearing my mask and dealing with my masked and gloved barista. I barely avoided snorting coffee out my nose.
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May 1, 2020 at 1:06 pm
unintended consequence! that’s funny.
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May 3, 2020 at 4:54 pm
Didn’t expect this ending! 🙂
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May 3, 2020 at 6:16 pm
well, this is a true story, and about as exciting as my real life gets. that’s why i make up stories. good to hear from you, monika. hope you’re doing well.
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