Exist in Dreams: Short Story: Nila's Coffee Shop, Part 1 of 4

Its been a while since I've uploaded a story. I have a whole bunch on my computer waiting to get edited and finished up. Hopefully by next week I'll have all that I've written completed and ready to upload.

So, the inspiration for this story comes from sitting at Starbucks and thinking about people that I've met or seen in my life. I believe that stories are about human qualities, and that's what makes them interesting and so I always try to create a theme around the quality I wish to hightlight.

I hope you enjoy.

***

A large bustling crowd was always gathered on the corner of Magstrum and Avery. This human barricade was placed at the start of Joel's early morning walk to work. Each day Joel attempted turned this corner. And each day, he was nearly pushed out into the street by the mob of people fighting to get into Nila's Coffee Shop.

The store had previously been owned by an even larger and well known coffee chain, but was mysteriously replaced during the first few humid days of summer. It was certainly a peculiar sight. The independent Coffee Shop sign, drawn in bright and curling letters, which hovered over the sweating throng of coffee drinkers and diners. Customers who were lucky enough to get a hold on a cup of Nila's coffee would squeeze their way out onto the sidewalk, and drink their steaming brew while their wiped the sweat off their foreheads.

Joel would sometimes stare at NIla's followers, lost in a cloud of befuddlement. There seemed to be no explanation for their actions. Nothing so insignificant as a cup of coffee should illicit such a response, or so it seemed to Joel.

Coffee had never been Joel's favorite beverage. In the urban city he resided in, it had become the petro of the pedestrian who would wake early and drained of energy which was well replaced by a strong cup of coffee. In recent times, there had been innovations in the area of caffeination with better tasting and cooler drinks being made with unearthly amounts of the stimulant. That was what Joel went for if he needed a boost, but he was never inclined to step into the Coffee Shop beside his house. He wasn't even curious when he saw the name of the place change to Nila's, or tempted when he caught a breath of the fresh and vague scent that wafted from its open doors.

The mark of Nila's Coffee Shop only manifested in Joel's life when he walked to and from work, but her brew slowly made its way into his office. Each desk that surrounded Joel acted as a pedestal for a coveted cup of Nila's coffee. Everyone had to have at least one cup a day to keep themselves going. Those who drank minimal amounts of the stuff were sluggish after downing their short cups and nearly fell asleep by the end of the day. Others who drank several cups found themselves alert and awake all day long. They were more productive than ever, rocketing past Joel's rapid pace.

Even Joel's manager, Mr. Rillick, had taken a strong liking to Nila's coffee, and made his way into the office with a cup of the steaming brew.

"Good morning Joel," Mr. Rillick beamed. He had spoken the greeting to Joel no more than five minutes before, and had awkwardly stepped out of his office to do so again.

"Good Morning Mr. Rillick," Joel said over the heap of paper on his desk.

Mr. Rillick looked around nervously, his hands wrung tightly round one another.

"Do you think you could do me a favor?"

Joel stacked the papers he was holding neatly atop another pile, and averted his full attention to his manager. "Yea, anything."

"I just can't seem to get enough coffee this morning. Do you think you can run down to Nila's and grab me a large cup. No sugar or cream."

Joel stood up to prepare himself to take on his assignment. His intentions were to never step foot in that shop, but he would if it meant impressing his boss."Uh, yea Mr. Rillick. I can do that for you."

"That's great. He's a five." Mr. Rillick gave Joel a crumpled five dollar bill. "Don’t be afraid to buy something for yourself--in fact, I insist you do--"

"You're too kind sir, but I'm not much of a coffee drinker--"

"Bahh! You will be once you step inside her place. That stuff is magnificent."

"Yea," Joel said, completely unconvinced. "I'll try and hurry back."

"Please do." Mr. Rillick bounced on the balls of his feet with apparent anxiety.

Joel rushed down the elevator and stepped outside into the harsh summer heat. The five dollar bill he held firmly in his hand was dampened by the sweat on his palms. He would hold it there to ensure it wasn’t lost during his fight into Nila's Coffee Shop.

The morning and evening crowd that stood like a fixture on Magstrum and Avery, was still there after the morning rush of traffic. It seemed that it had even gotten bigger. Joel stood idly on the edges of the crowd, dreading the length of his wait. Where he stood, the faint aroma he normally smelled around the shop was much stronger and almost hypnotic in a nauseating sort of way. The people before him were swarming like ants and each new and desperate fan that joined the crowd came feet closer to their cup of coffee than Joel had in the ten minutes he stood waiting.

There was no way he could make his way into the shop without immersing himself in the crowd so he began to push and shove his way through. His relationship with his manager depended on it. The fanatical crowd reacted with anger to his rough procession through them. They spat curses and knocked him back with firm throws, but he managed to make his way across.