I Was Here

I Saw You

I Saw You

December 2019, less than an hour before my shift ends. I was occupied with washing the cutlery and dishes. Mostly during the afternoons and nights the coffee shop is jam packed with customers, which makes the sink overflow with dirty dishes. I gripped the wet sponge filled with bubbles from the liquid soap, and removed the stain from the white plates and cups. I firmly grabbed the numbers of wet silver spoons and forks, and positioned them on top of a white clean towel to dry. ‘Here, please wash these.’ said Jane behind me as she put the used cups and plates in the sink below the running water from the faucet. After I washed the dishes, I used another wet towel to scrub and clean the sink. 

‘Who is assign for the inventory later tonight?’ Charlie asked while he is mopping the floor. ‘There are still plenty of paper cups inside the cabinet.’ he added.

I watched him picked up his black cap, which drops on the floor when a customer who is about to meet a friend unwittingly bump at him. The customer is a young woman maybe about 23 to 25 year old, she wears a white fitted sleeveless, black mini skirt and a pairs of high-cut Converse white shoes. ‘Oh I’m sorry.’ she said to Charlie as she smiled and walked away.

Charlie then turned to me and with a low voice said; ‘She is pretty.’

‘Go ask her name and f*******: account too.’

‘I have an idea.’ he said. ‘I’ll ask Kevin to talk to her friend, so she can give me the name of that girl.’

‘You think that will work?’

‘Of course,’ he said. ‘She wouldn’t turn down a such a pretty face like Kevin.’

‘Go, do it.’ I said. ‘And tell her friend that I am single.’

‘Where’s Kevin?’

‘There he is collecting used cutlery.’

5:00 PM I finished my shift at the coffee shop. I went out of the old school styled coffee shop with Charlie and Kevin. We stand outside the café where there are numbers of tall brown orange clay pots. The pots positioned on the front row holds aesthetic yellow, orange and white flowers. While the rest of the pots grew lavish green, purple and red leaves. 

‘How about a drink today?’ Charlie asked, running his fingers on some strands of his shiny black hair as the wind kept on blowing. He wears a black jacket, blue jeans and white sneakers. ‘There is a newly opened bar nearby, and they also sell grilled meats.’ he added. He is 5’3 feet tall with medium brown skin complexion. He has thick eyebrows, a flat nose and mustache above his reddish lips.

Kevin, 5’9 feet tall with fair skin color and well toned body steps towards us. ‘Sounds good, we can eat and drink.’ he said and counted some money he pulled from the pocket of his blue jeans. He has this mestizo features with a pair of light brown eyes and pointed nose. He also has a beard and and mustache growing on his face. ‘Come with us Eric.’ he added.

‘Sure.’ I answered and turned around when I heard a man shouting on the street; ‘Sweet Mangoes For Sale!’ The old man wears white checked polo and light blue jeans. He has deep brown skin  and slightly grayed hair.  He pushes a medium size card filled with ripe yellow Carabao mangoes. As he move he call out repeatedly, ‘Sweet Mangoes For Sale!’

As the three of us started moving along with the crowds, there I see a little girl probably 7 or 8 year old. She runs to our  direction holding a bright red balloon. I observed how the sunlight reflects on top of the shiny red balloon. And as the the wind continue to blows so the red balloon sways.

I noticed there is a huge crowd who walks ahead of us. I watch how the city becomes awaken with people on a Monday afternoon.  I see people from different walks of life come in all directions. I see them almost everywhere. Only if the street has a life, it might tell how tired it is with lots of people endlessly walking on top of it.

We walked further and passed by the only MC Donald's in town, which was built when I was still in grade school. Inside the store most of the seats are already occupied. And people form a long line waiting for the cashiers to take their orders. That fast food is always crowded during the afternoon and night. Like literally there is no more available chair inside the restaurant.

And not so far a girl who wears a knee length black dress and white rubber shoes catches my attention. She walked with a little girl beside her holding her hand. Probably her little sister, I assumed. Her black straight hair falls perfectly on her skinny shoulders. She has a small face with almond shaped eyes, a sharp nose and partly wide lips. ‘I want a happy meal mama.’ the little girl said with her one hand pulling down the skirt of her dress. ‘Okay Mallory.’ She answered.

She just called her mama. I let out a sigh. I watched them entered MC Donald’s. And I feel quiet for a moment. I wonder how old is she? She looks young and she does not look like she has already given birth. Oh man, another beautiful girl, and she is taken.

And later comes a part of the street where salon after salon were established. I watch how a middle aged woman dries her client’s hair with a blower. To where she points the mouth of the blower the brown artificially colored hair was blown with force. ‘I think I need a haircut.’ Kevin said in which I laughed, thinking he is bald, like badly bald. Well this guy doesn’t need to grow hair on his head to be handsome, for he truly is good looking, and with that thanks to his Spanish ancestors. And sometimes when beautiful girls are around and among us three, they will often notice Kevin while over looking at me and Charlie, Oh boy there’s a little sting of insecurity arousing in me, damn it. And I mean it when I say, damn it.

 Finally we reached our destination, the newly open bar in town. As we draw near, the thick white smoke coming from the grilling of meat outside the bar welcomes us. The smoke smells of sweetly marinated pork and burnt charcoal. Oh man, forget about the friend who is way way more handsome than me, and the girls too. Come on, the grilled meat tasted just like cloud nine. And my stomach is rumbling.

 Marvin holds open the glass door. We walk on the floor alternately covered with black and white tiles. ‘Oh, this is nice.’ Marvin said. The ceilings are painted black, while the walls are covered with dark red matte paint. We choose where to be seated. The chairs and table are painted with shiny black varnish, and there are a couple of dark red couches too.  Kevin walked towards the reception table situated on the left side of the bar. At the back of the reception table there is a big wooden cabinet which displays different brands of liquors and wines, and numbers sophisticated wine glasses. ‘We should sit here.’ Charlie said as I followed him in one corner of the bar near the glass wall. I sat and looked at the view outside as it began to rain.