Making America Great Again at the La Casita Café
When Tyler Haase entered the La Casita Café his
nerves overcame a simmering anger, but he was doing his best to
look as calm as a country lake. It was
Sunday morning, just after eleven, and the café was packed. La Casita was a popular brunch spot and there
was a long wait-list with many groups milling around on the sidewalk in front
of the place waiting for their name to be called.
Tyler knew this would be the case. He had been to the café for brunch more than a
few times of late. He usually ordered their
pancakes and would lounge about drinking multiple cups of their good
coffee. He had hoped to get there an
hour earlier, before the morning rush hit full swing, but little things kept
holding him up. As he made his way
through the throng of patrons, he was worried that he wouldn’t be able to find
a seat at the counter, which was first come, first served.
Once he got by the crowd at the door and
host station, he couldn’t believe his eyes. There was one unoccupied seat at an otherwise full
breakfast counter, but it had a coat leaning over it. It was the last seat against the wall on his
left. An uneasy smile broke across his
stolid face and he moved toward it.
There were two dark haired women sitting at the counter next to the vacant
seat. As he nestled up behind them, he
tapped the closest one on her left shoulder as gently as if he was popping a
soap bubble. She turned around with
surprise, as she hadn’t see him approaching.
Her smiling face with the biggest brown eyes he had ever seen looked
right into him. He felt something quiver
inside.
“Yes?” She
said. He was still nervous and his face
had a slight sheen of sweat. She was unexpectedly
stunning; it took time for him to overcome her unanticipated beauty.
“Uumm, is this seat free?” He finally managed to get out.
“Oh, yes, please. I probably shouldn’t have left my jacket
there.” The girl said as she moved her coat
for him.
“Thanks.” Tyler said as he slipped off his backpack and
put it down between the chair and the counter. He then slid into the seat.
“The benefits of dining alone- you get to miss
the waitlist.” The girl said cheerfully.
“I guess it’s meant to be.”
“You’re lucky- we waited thirty minutes before
these seats opened up and the waitlist is an hour long.” She said before turning back to her friend
and resuming their conversation. He
couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he didn’t really care to anyway.
The server behind the counter immediately came
over once he was seated, “Buenos dias! Pancakes
with well done bacon and a coffee?”
“Uum, yeah, thanks.” He recognized the server from his previous
visits. She always seemed too friendly
and phony to him.
The server entered the order into the computer and brought him his coffee after a few minutes. He
picked up the mug, closed his eyes and took a deep breath inhaling the
fumes. He kept his eyes closed for a few
deep breathes and then slowly opened them only to find the dark haired beauty on
his right looking at him again.
“Smells good doesn’t it?” She said with a light laugh. She was mesmerizing- he’d never seen such
exotic beauty before.
“Oh yeah, I like their coffee.”
“It’s the best in the neighborhood. I’m already on my third cup. My friend, Rita, who just went to the washroom,
is a real coffee snob. She always
insists that we come here on Sundays.
But I’m not complaining!” She
laughed.
Tyler let out a small laugh too while trying to
steady himself. Girls had always made
him nervous, but this one especially so.
“My name is Maria.” She said offering him her hand.
“Uh, Tyler.”
He replied taking her hand meekly.
“That’s a nice name. Where are you from?”
“Michigan.”
“Michigan’s a big place- what part?”
“Up north, Traverse City. Do you know Michigan?”
“A little bit- Traverse City, is that near
Petoskey?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“I’m sure it’s really beautiful up there. I’ve always wanted to go to Petoskey and see
Hemingway country. I studied literature and
gender studies in college and wrote my thesis on Hemingway’s archetype of the
male in society seen through his fiction.
Many of his short stories take place up there.”
“Really?”
Tyler didn’t really understand what she had said about her thesis, but was surprised to
hear this nonetheless. He knew that
Hemingway had lived in northern Michigan, but never read the stories. He also never went to college. He saw himself as just a typical blue-collar
country boy.
“I’ve always wanted to visit, but still haven’t
made it. The nature must be so
overpowering and peaceful at the same time.”
Maria said.
“Yes, it is.
It’s the most beautiful place on earth, but it’s hard to find good work there
these days. That’s why I’m here in
Chicago now.” Tyler’s nervousness was
fading as Maria’s warmth enveloped him. She
was like a comforting light in the distance on a dark night, something to hold
on to.
“I’m afraid good paying work is hard to find
anywhere these days. I have a masters
and just had to move because I couldn’t afford my rent.”
“Making friends I see?” Rita interjected as she
returned to her seat. “Hello, I’m Rita.” She said reaching across Maria and offering
her hand to Tyler.
“Tyler, thank you.” He said looking down as he took her hand into
his sweaty one and gave it a very weak shake.
“Tyler’s from northern Michigan. Just outside of Hemingway country.” Maria said as she turned to Rita. “We were just talking about it.”
Tyler felt the need to move, the walls were
closing in on him. He quickly got up, “I
will be right back. Excuse me.”
He made his way to the bathroom in the back,
locked the door and threw some cold water on his face. He looked at himself in the mirror- You come to this restaurant ten times and no
one says a word to you and now today, you’re welcomed by a beautiful Mexican!? What’s happening?!?! This cannot be real- He told himself in a
panic.
After some minutes, Tyler was making his way back
to the counter. The girls were still
there and smiled as he approached.
“We thought we scared you away!” Maria said, still smiling at him with her
warm eyes. He smiled back and
immediately looked at his seat and backpack.
He was surprised he absentmindedly left it there unattended for so long. His pancakes were already on the counter
waiting. He sat and drank his coffee
greedily while looking at the plate of food. Relax, breathe,
he told himself.
“Your food just arrived. Good timing.”
Maria interjected into his thoughts.
“Uh, great, but I’ve got to make a phone call,”
He told the girls and quickly made his way through the crowded restaurant and out
to the street.
Once outside, he walked jerkily away from the doorway while pulling out his phone. His hands were shaking and his heart was racing as he dialed the number. The last thing he remembered was gasping for a big breath just before he triggered the bomb in his backpack on the floor, next to the beautiful Maria and her friend Rita, having brunch in the bustling La Casita café.
Once outside, he walked jerkily away from the doorway while pulling out his phone. His hands were shaking and his heart was racing as he dialed the number. The last thing he remembered was gasping for a big breath just before he triggered the bomb in his backpack on the floor, next to the beautiful Maria and her friend Rita, having brunch in the bustling La Casita café.
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