'And our interesting tidbit,' Izzie pipes in, 'is that we are all Guild Masters in World of Warcraft'
'Impressive,' I say, although I'm not really sure what they are talking about. Obviously some kind of video game. I enter their information. This is actually kind of fun.
The girls take their drinks to a table near the door to hang out.
After I finish typing, I look up and see the sweetest-looking older gentleman. He's got to be in his late sixties.
He's bald and wearing a dark brown corduroy golf hat, a thick brown peacoat, and a red-and-black plaid scarf. He totally looks like the university professor type.
'I'd like a short cappuccino,' he says in a deep, booming voice to Daisy, and then faces me. I've already started typing his drink choice into my spreadsheet.
He is smart. I knew it. And money-conscious. Not many people order the short cappuccino, since it isn't actually on the menu. It's eight ounces and cheaper than the twelve-ounce small, which is the smallest size that we advertise, but it has the same amount of espresso in it. He's getting more bang for his buck.
Gregory–that's the name he gives me–steps over to my table and provides the required info, but I'm hardly listening. I already know the PERFECT match for him.
These two completely adorable sisters, Belinda and Anna, also in their sixties, come into our store every Sunday morning before they head off for their weekly grocery shopping trip. I nicknamed them 'the bargain babes' because they order the same thing every week: a doppio on ice, which is basically two shots of espresso over ice.
Then they take their cups over to the milk station, where they fill them up the rest of the way with the free milk we have out. Voila, iced lattes for almost two dollars less than the menu price. I happen to know that Belinda is a retired librarian and a widow. I type 'Belinda?' in the match box in Gregory's row and make a mental note to talk to her on
Sunday. I'm so excited–I can do this! I can match perfect strangers.
I'm super happy with myself and looking forward to my next customer. Just then three young boys with long dark shaggy hair and glasses, wearing long-sleeve tees and droopy pants, come in through the door. Something about them just screams future software developers to me. I'm struck with inspiration and whip around in my chair to see if the teenage girls are still there. They are. Could this be my first on-the-spot match? Okay, calm down. Let's see what they order first.
One of the boys steps up to the counter and gives Daisy his order. He turns to me and says, 'Hey. I'm Ed. This is James and this is Dan. We ordered three small hot chocolates. That's our favorite drink.'
BINGO. I don't even have to check my notebook to know they are a match with the girls.
I take down their information, for record's sake, and wait for them to get their hot chocolates. I open a new document and peck furiously at random keys, just to look busy for a few minutes. Even though I already know their perfect matches, I don't want them to know it was so easy.
There. Enough time has passed. I get up and Derek comes whipping around from behind the coffee bean display where he's been hovering and says, 'Hey, where are you going?'
I wink. 'Gimme a minute.' I walk over to the boys' table, take Ed and James by the arm, and indicate with a nod for Dan to follow us. I lead them to the table near the door where the girls are sitting. 'Sadie, Jenna, and Izzie,' I say, 'meet Ed, James, and Dan.' All six of the teenagers act awkward for a moment, but then James sees Jenna's PSP sitting out on the table and slides into a chair next to her and asks her what game she's playing.
My work here is done.
I hurry back toward my table and pause by Derek with my hand in the air waiting for a high five. He glares at me like I was just picking my nose and shoves both of his hands into his pockets.
'What was that about?' he asks.
'I made my first match. Well, actually my first three matches,' I say with an enormous smile on my face. Yes!
10
It was so much fun, Em, seriously. Awesome. I made eight matches last night alone. EIGHT MATCHES.' And there is potential for at least four more.' I'm sitting cross-legged on Em's bed recounting the evening's events. Em is searching through her backpack for her history notes.
'Shoot! Shoot, shoot, shoot!' Em says, throwing her backpack on the floor. 'Everything okay?'
'Not really. I'm dead if I don't find my history notes.
There is an exam on Monday and it's worth half our grade.' Em sits down in her chair and puts her head on her desk.
'Well, relax. Just call someone from class, borrow their notes for an hour, and run over to the library and make a copy.'
'Hmm ...' she says, standing up and looking at me.
'That could work. Okay. Wow. I feel much better.
Thanks!'
'No prob; now back to me.'
'I'm sorry!' Em laughs and plops down on the bed next to me. 'Go ahead, tell me more about the big Espressology night.'
'It was fun. I mean really, really fun. I didn't think I'd have such a good time. I'm totally made for this.'
'That's so cool,' she says. 'See? I knew you could do it.'
'Yeah, and Derek was stoked. It was our busiest Friday night ever. I swear he would have kissed me if he didn't hate all people.'
'I'm happy for you, Jane, really. I'm happy that good things are happening for both of us.'
Both of us? Oh god, is she going to talk about Cam again?
'Yeah,' I agree, bracing myself for what I know is coming next.
'I can't believe how awesome Cam is, Jane. Thanks again for setting us up.'
'Sure,' I say flatly.
'He's made me forget about Jason. I mean totally.
Jason even called me the other day wanting to talk. I asked him who it was and he was all, 'You mean you forgot my voice already?' and I said, 'Seriously, who is this?' I could tell he was hurt and I'm glad.'
'Ooh ... drama! Well, having another guy to date is totally good for revenge on Jason.'
'But Cam isn't revenge, Jane. I really like him.'
'Yeah, you keep saying that.'
'What?' Em stands up and stomps over to her dresser for her bottle of water. 'You don't believe me?'
'Oh no, I believe you. I guess I'm just shocked.
Shocked at how fast you moved on,' I say.
'That's a good thing, though, isn't it?' she demands.
'I guess it is,' I answer. Maybe if I agree, she'll just drop the whole conversation.
'Well, hey, maybe we can double soon? You can ask Will out and the four of us can do something,' Em says.
I'm not sure why, but the thought of going on a double date with Em and Cam sounds about as fun as a colon cleansing. Which I've never experienced, but my mom says it is super gross.
'Um, I don't know about Will,' I say.
'Why? I thought you guys cleared everything up.'
'We did. I'm just not sure if it is in the beans for us. I'll have to check my notebook,' I tell her.
