Cream, Crime & Cupcakes

Chapter 3 Tim

Chapter 3 Tim

Triggered by pushing the enter button, the printer starts rattling and Tim Melchior leans back satisfied. His last report of the stack with which he has been busy all evening. The paperwork always piles up. It wouldn’t feel right to him if he had to start his holidays with a backlog. That’s why he hasn’t taken in any new cases these last two days. It feels right, that all loose ends are tied up. He puts the print-out in the case file, puts away his service weapon and baton and walks over to the exit to punch out. His colleague, Peter, wishes him a happy holidays and, feeling relaxed, he walks to his car.

On his way he stops to get a Kebab roll and at home he sprawls into a chair in front of the TV. It’s a good thing he packed his suitcase yesterday. The programs on TV can’t really catch his attention and he decides to go to the pub on the corner. The frosty cold outside does feel quite bitter. He can barely imagine that he’ll be lying comfortably on the beach in the sun tomorrow afternoon. For now, he only feels the cold. He pushes the door of the pub open and a cosy warmth welcomes him. Although it isn’t crowded on this Tuesday weeknight, he does spot a few familiar faces. ‘A beer?’ Henk asks him and before he can confirm, Henk starts to tap. He sits down at the bar and greets the people next to him.

‘A day off tomorrow?’ Erik asks attentively. Boasting a bit, he tells that he is on holiday since one hour and thirty-four minutes. Only for one week, but just long enough to get away from everything.

The others congratulate him on his holiday with envy. They think that they deserve a round for that and Tim agrees wholeheartedly. ‘This one’s on me, Henk, and have one yourself as well’, he calls out.

After toasting, Henk sets the Music Quiz box on the bar. There is some loud moaning, but hey, everyone knows that there is always something special happening in this pub. The music quiz is one of them. Henk, being a real music fanatic, is the one that participates most enthusiastically of all. Although he has the answers, being the quiz master, he always waits to turns the cards until the answers have been given. He gets too much fun out of getting the answer right himself. The most peculiar thing about the quiz is the fact that Henk has expanded the questions with assignments that vary from ‘dance the Letkiss’ till ‘sing the next song.’ The moaning is meant for this part of the quiz. However, when everybody is sincere about it, this is the part with which everyone has the most fun. Time really flies in those moments.

When Gerda adds splendour to her song and dance by giving a roaring performance and Harrie acts out the song that has to be guessed by racing through the pub on a Solex, it‘s high time for Tim to go. A lot later than planned. He was at least that smart to switch to cola after the first beer, otherwise he wouldn’t be allowed to drive to the airport in a while.

After a heart-warming goodbye from the other customers in the pub, he heads for home. When he sets his alarm he notices he has only three hours of sleep left. I will sleep on the beach then, he thinks, before sinking into a deep sleep.