Warm Hugs From A Coffee Shop
She sat by the window, looking out at the sweeping rain. She was protected in here: a nugget of gold in the form of the local cafe. 80's music played through the speakers and the bubble of conversation was jovial despite the depressive weather. The staff were mingling with the customers as they drank their coffee and ate golden pastries. She loved being here, the relaxed atmosphere made writing easy. This cafe had planted the seeds of inspiration for some of her best characters.
She took a minute to stop typing and observe the art of the wall. Little pictures from independent artists created a gallery of Nottingham's talents, ranging from photography to paper art. She hoped that one day she would have something to contribute to the walls, something people could admire and draw inspiration from.
A little girl in a bright red top and green dungarees ran to the door, greeting her father with a smile and a hug as he walked through. They hugged and she dragged him to their table, babbling excitedly the whole way. That's another thing she loved about this place: the people. Everyone was always so happy when they entered through the cafe's doors. It was just one of those places were it was impossible to be gloomy.
One of the servers came over with her meal: a toasted sandwich in the shape of a love heart full of red peppers, spinach, mustard and three types of vegan cheese. Her mouth watered at the sight. Food there always looked delicious and what made them even better was their names on the menu: Brieyoncè, Kevin Baconator, Drew Berrymore and her personal favourite, Barackolli Obama.
As she ate, she watched the little girl and her father cuddled up on one of the sofas. He now had a coffee in his hands, freshly brewed with beans from the roastary next door and was smiling fondly at his daughter who was happily munching on a brownie. She got some on her nose and tried to lick it off with her tongue. She laughed and turned back to her computer and closed the lid- she had her story for that day.
If she could spend all her time there, she would but the outside world was calling. She said goodbye to the staff and put up her umbrella, walking out into the summer weather. It may have been cold out, but she felt only warmth as she jumped in the puddles on the way to the tram.
This short story was inspired by Blend in Sneinton Market, Nottingham. It is absolutely amazing and vegan friendly and I cannot recommend it enough.
Blend's Website:
