Watch, Wait, Take

Chapter 6. The coach trip continues

I wake with a start the following morning as my alarm relentlessly pulls me back to consciousness. After shutting off the loud noise, I sit up in bed for a moment, slowing my heart rate and rubbing my eyes.

At 7:15am I am showered and dressed, what’s left of my belongings are packed and waiting by they door. I head down stirs for a quick, light breakfast. 

As I enter the mass hall with all the neatly prepared tables and fresh coffee smalls, I inhale deeply. Looking up to the ceiling I see a beautiful painted roof. Gold outlining the centrepiece. I survey the rest of the surroundings and notice not many guests are up yet, although breakfast starts at 7am it doesn't finish until 9am so most guests will still be sleeping. 

I head over to the breakfast bar, filled with foods. The variety is good, fruit, cold meats and cheeses, cereal, toast, eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, butter, jam, pastries and a smaller but adequate drinks section of basic hot drinks, hot water, hot milk, coffee, tea and hot chocolate the cold drinks where no more adventurous, orange juice, apple juice, water and milk. The jugs of pineapple juice and mango juice were empty. There was a small machine at the end of the drink section, an ice dispenser.

I fill a bowl with cereal and milk. Grabbing a tray to put it on I fill the biggest glass on offer with orange juice and turn the coffee machine on for a basic cup of black coffee. Next I head for more food. I choose the biggest plate there was and fill it with a few cold meats and cheeses, jams and chocolate spread. Setting this on my tray I then take a smaller plate and put a few pastries on it. Croissants, Pain au chocolat and a few Danish pastries go on to the already heaving, heavy trap. Pilled high with as much food as I can carry for one trip I head out to the seating area.

I chose a table for two in the corner at the back of front of the room, with my back to the wall, so I can see who comes in and out the room. I place the tray in the place opposite and while I sip my orange juice and dig in hungrily to my bowl of cereal, before moving on to the plate of protein, I feel a gaze on me, I look up to see a few tables staring at me. Realising its just because of the excessive amount of food on my table, I ignore them and continue stuffing my face, after all, I’m never going to see these people again.

After finishing every crumb of the food I sit sipping my coffee, looking at the time I see its only 7:45am. I want the leave by 8am to make sure I get to the train station early.

I stand up leaving my tray, pick up my handbag and head quickly back to the breakfast bar, still getting dagger eyes of other guests I continue focused on the task at hand. Lucky for me there is on one else at the breakfast bar.... this makes my job a lot easier.

I grab a few napkins and open them out a little, I then put some of the pastries’ I had earlier into the middle, when I could get no more on the napkin, I pick up all the corners of the square, white napkin, meeting them in the middle I twist them together to keep the contense inside the napkin and out of the bottom of my handbag. I do the same thing with the cold meats and cheeses. Luckily the napkins are cloth not paper, meaning the food contense won’t get stuck to the napkin. I glance around quickly and notice a sign:

ALL FOOD TO BE CONSUMED ON HOTEL PROPERTY. NONE TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THE HOTEL.

Great. I quickly open my handbag and stuff the bulging napkins in. I close my bag and walk out of the food all and back to my room. Just in time, as the breakfast rush seems to be beginning.

I open the door to my room and grab my bags before the door has even shut; I am leaving to check out. 

I get to the coach station 8:10am, it doesn’t take me long to get to the right place, with only 10minutes to wait for the coach I can sit and relax for a moment.