I open the door and hear the little chime ring as I walk in. The sole barista stands behind the coffee bar directly across from me. The store is small, quaint, and beautiful. I seem to be the first customer of the day. It’s quite early.
The barista is standing there beaming at me.
As I reach the counter they energetically exclaim: “Good morning! What can I get for you today?”
I’m a bit taken aback by their energy, it’s 6 AM.
I look at the menu taking my time to decide. “Drip coffee”, I say. They reply, “Nice! I just brewed a fresh batch.” They grab the coffee for me and ring me up. As I turn to go, they call out “Have a splendid day!”
They’re grinning ear to ear, so I ask, “Why are you so happy?”
“I’m happy that I woke up this morning,” they say. “I didn’t expect to.”
I’m bewildered. “Did you think you were going to die?”
“Yes. I don’t have much time left; it’s terminal.”
I don’t know what to say. What do you say to a stranger who just told you they’re going to die?
“Oh shoot, I’m so sorry,” I finally managed.
“Don’t be,” they reply. “I’m still alive and there’s still life to live.”
My impulse gets the better of me, and I blurt out the question that’s been burning in my head: “So what are you doing here?”
“I’m living my life.”
loosely inspired by The Egg by Andy Weir
- Ajay
GOOD