With an unlit cigarette held firmly between her pale lips, Shaz sat herself down on the nearest park bench and peered up at the trees. She hadn't been in New York all that long, honestly, but it was already starting to grow on her. Her apartment was a little shoddy, sure, but it wasn't like it was a dilapidated wreck. A lick of paint, some new chairs, new curtains and it'd look perfectly inhabitable. Besides, she spent most of her time outside.
Today, she was trying to find herself a job. So far, she'd only really seen one vacancy. A hand-written sign with "HELP WANTED - BARISTA - INQUIRE INSIDE" written in big block letters. She hadn't gone in, however. She needed a smoke. Pulling a lighter from her pocket and flicking it on, she lit the cigarette in her mouth and relaxed slightly with the first drag. She'd quit soon. Maybe. When she completely settled into her new accommodation, for sure.
With a small huff, she shoved her hands into her jacket's pockets, and watched a small bird hopping around on one of the branches of a nearby tree, cheep-cheep-cheeping, to simply pass the time and the cigarette.
Today, she was trying to find herself a job. So far, she'd only really seen one vacancy. A hand-written sign with "HELP WANTED - BARISTA - INQUIRE INSIDE" written in big block letters. She hadn't gone in, however. She needed a smoke. Pulling a lighter from her pocket and flicking it on, she lit the cigarette in her mouth and relaxed slightly with the first drag. She'd quit soon. Maybe. When she completely settled into her new accommodation, for sure.
With a small huff, she shoved her hands into her jacket's pockets, and watched a small bird hopping around on one of the branches of a nearby tree, cheep-cheep-cheeping, to simply pass the time and the cigarette.
James shrugged and reached his pale arms behind his back to redo the knot at the back of his uniform. This job was really taking the energy out of him. It was becoming difficult for him to maintain a smile for the customers that barked their orders at him. Not that they deserved smiles anyway since a majority of them were rather rude.
It had been extremely busy in the shop and it had just reached that dreaded point in the day that every person in New York and their mother's decide that they want a coffee or a small cake. Impatient people would pour into the little coffee shop and it became increasingly difficult to serve them all within a timely manner. Well, especially because James isn't very good at his job which makes the whole ordeal twice as long and tedious. Often mixing up orders and completely forgetting to bring someone their drinks, he was used to dealing with complaints.
James managed to crack a very half hearted smile as he scribbled down a woman's order with his shaky hands. She didn't thank him, typical. He tried to pour the right type of coffee into the right cup as quickly as he could manage, glancing outside to see the busy streets filled with men and suits and women in dresses. He was desperately hoping that someone new would be hired to help him on the front line. Surprisingly, there had only been a few applications so far to become a new barrister but still, he was ever hopeful.
It had been extremely busy in the shop and it had just reached that dreaded point in the day that every person in New York and their mother's decide that they want a coffee or a small cake. Impatient people would pour into the little coffee shop and it became increasingly difficult to serve them all within a timely manner. Well, especially because James isn't very good at his job which makes the whole ordeal twice as long and tedious. Often mixing up orders and completely forgetting to bring someone their drinks, he was used to dealing with complaints.
James managed to crack a very half hearted smile as he scribbled down a woman's order with his shaky hands. She didn't thank him, typical. He tried to pour the right type of coffee into the right cup as quickly as he could manage, glancing outside to see the busy streets filled with men and suits and women in dresses. He was desperately hoping that someone new would be hired to help him on the front line. Surprisingly, there had only been a few applications so far to become a new barrister but still, he was ever hopeful.
She sat and finished her cigarette, flicking ash now and then, before she dropped it to the ground and pressed down in it to stomp it out with her boot. Standing to stretch out quickly, she huffed quietly to herself. She'd better head back to that coffee shop, inquire about the vacancy and try to weasel her way into getting whatever minimum wage they offered to their employees. Hopefully she'd get something at least.
It was at least a five minute walk to get to the shop and Shaz peered inside. It seemed busy which made sense seeing as it was break time for most office-y types. Then she looked to the guy behind the counter. Red hair that was sort of messy. She wondered briefly if he dyed it or if it was naturally that intense. He seemed a little nervous, shaking hands and forced smiles. Poor guy … was he running this shift alone? She pushed the door open and walked up to the counter.
“Hi,” she started with a smile, “y'ave a help needed sign out front. Guess I'm 'ere for an application or ... somethin'.” Briefly looking behind her at the people sat at tables, she looked back to the man behind the counter. “Name's Shaz.” She was only Sharon on paperwork.
It was at least a five minute walk to get to the shop and Shaz peered inside. It seemed busy which made sense seeing as it was break time for most office-y types. Then she looked to the guy behind the counter. Red hair that was sort of messy. She wondered briefly if he dyed it or if it was naturally that intense. He seemed a little nervous, shaking hands and forced smiles. Poor guy … was he running this shift alone? She pushed the door open and walked up to the counter.
“Hi,” she started with a smile, “y'ave a help needed sign out front. Guess I'm 'ere for an application or ... somethin'.” Briefly looking behind her at the people sat at tables, she looked back to the man behind the counter. “Name's Shaz.” She was only Sharon on paperwork.
James was too focused on stacking various sized mugs and dirty plates on top of each other to have even notice that the young woman had spoken to him. He had managed to balance a rather impressive collection of plates between his arms. "I'll, uh, be with you in a second, please."
He quickly darted around the counter and into the back room without even glancing up at the unfamiliar face standing in front of him. There was a faint sound of dishes being clunked together coming from the other room, presumably it was the plates being carelessly thrown into a sink. Which it was. He strolled back to his earlier position, quickly gazing at the current customers. It was still busy but it wasn't as bad as it was before. He fixed the collar on his uniform and smiled.
"Oh, right. Hello." He bent down and pulled out a blue cloth from a shelf under the dark wooden counter and began to rub down the work surface. "You wanted to apply to work here? Was that right?" He used his free hand to quickly flatten down a particularly messy strand of hair that refused to do what he wanted. And then continued pretending that he was having fun cleaning. "That is a very, you know, radical hair cut. Kinda' like a superhero or something."
He quickly darted around the counter and into the back room without even glancing up at the unfamiliar face standing in front of him. There was a faint sound of dishes being clunked together coming from the other room, presumably it was the plates being carelessly thrown into a sink. Which it was. He strolled back to his earlier position, quickly gazing at the current customers. It was still busy but it wasn't as bad as it was before. He fixed the collar on his uniform and smiled.
"Oh, right. Hello." He bent down and pulled out a blue cloth from a shelf under the dark wooden counter and began to rub down the work surface. "You wanted to apply to work here? Was that right?" He used his free hand to quickly flatten down a particularly messy strand of hair that refused to do what he wanted. And then continued pretending that he was having fun cleaning. "That is a very, you know, radical hair cut. Kinda' like a superhero or something."
“Uhm,” Shaz watched the red head disappear with a large pile of plates almost expertly balanced in his arms. There was the tell-tale clink of dishes being dumped (a sound she knew all too well from being too lazy to do the washing up back at her apartment) in a sink before he reappeared from around the corner. She blinked back her slight confusion, still not entirely sure how big the workforce was in this place. He seemed easy going enough, though.
“Yeah, that’s right.” Shaz hadn’t had many jobs in her life, hadn’t held onto the ones she had gotten well, either. Perhaps that what influenced part of her move to New York. New York, new life, right? It was supposed to be a fresh start, somewhere that she wasn’t seen as the scoundrel, the trouble maker, that girl. Sure, she’d done some stupid stuff in her life but never anything despicable! Just bad enough that she wasn’t exactly 100% trusted around anything that required responsibility. New York, new life …
She smiled and laughed a little at his comment about her hair. Radical superhero hairdo seemed to fit pretty well actually. “Ta, ya got some pretty rad colour goin’ on with your hair.” Compliments were nice to receive and they were equally nice to give in return. She rubbed the back of her neck, glancing at the few people waiting to order something. “Should, ah, should I wait ‘til ya’ not busy?”
“Yeah, that’s right.” Shaz hadn’t had many jobs in her life, hadn’t held onto the ones she had gotten well, either. Perhaps that what influenced part of her move to New York. New York, new life, right? It was supposed to be a fresh start, somewhere that she wasn’t seen as the scoundrel, the trouble maker, that girl. Sure, she’d done some stupid stuff in her life but never anything despicable! Just bad enough that she wasn’t exactly 100% trusted around anything that required responsibility. New York, new life …
She smiled and laughed a little at his comment about her hair. Radical superhero hairdo seemed to fit pretty well actually. “Ta, ya got some pretty rad colour goin’ on with your hair.” Compliments were nice to receive and they were equally nice to give in return. She rubbed the back of her neck, glancing at the few people waiting to order something. “Should, ah, should I wait ‘til ya’ not busy?”
A beaming smile ran it's way across James' face when he received the compliment about his hair. Since he doesn't receive many, James treasures every complement that is given to him. Before answering her, he moved his gaze to the gathering of people that were waiting to be served. Just seeing the people start to crowd around the counter made him nervous. The people in this city can turn quite nasty if they have to wait too long.
"What a nice accent. You talk pretty weird… Um yeah, if you just 'gimme a second to serve these people then I'll be right with you." He waved his left hand around to gesture for the next customer to come forward. He scribbled their coffee order down on a small notepad with his bright pink pen, his favourite pen to be exact, and then carelessly chucked the customer's money in the till. Not paying any attention at all as the coins fell in the wrong sections. Despite his general carelessness, he actually did like his job. It was the customers that fuelled his love for his work, well, and the money. A smile and a thank you could put a spring in his step for hours but the stone cold faces of all the business people that came in and looked down on him really stepped on his mood.
He reached for the coffee cup and slowly poured the customer's coffee into a small mug with pictures of trees on it. He was naturally rather shaky but he was doing his best not to spill anything on the worktop. He'd have to clean it up, after all. He handed the woman her coffee and gently smiled at her.
The remaining two customers got the same treatment. A small smile, slowly poured coffee and a thank you. After they'd all been served, James averted his attention back to Shaz. "So, you're thinking about working here? Did I already say that...? Uh, anyway, I can show you how to apply if you'd like?"
"What a nice accent. You talk pretty weird… Um yeah, if you just 'gimme a second to serve these people then I'll be right with you." He waved his left hand around to gesture for the next customer to come forward. He scribbled their coffee order down on a small notepad with his bright pink pen, his favourite pen to be exact, and then carelessly chucked the customer's money in the till. Not paying any attention at all as the coins fell in the wrong sections. Despite his general carelessness, he actually did like his job. It was the customers that fuelled his love for his work, well, and the money. A smile and a thank you could put a spring in his step for hours but the stone cold faces of all the business people that came in and looked down on him really stepped on his mood.
He reached for the coffee cup and slowly poured the customer's coffee into a small mug with pictures of trees on it. He was naturally rather shaky but he was doing his best not to spill anything on the worktop. He'd have to clean it up, after all. He handed the woman her coffee and gently smiled at her.
The remaining two customers got the same treatment. A small smile, slowly poured coffee and a thank you. After they'd all been served, James averted his attention back to Shaz. "So, you're thinking about working here? Did I already say that...? Uh, anyway, I can show you how to apply if you'd like?"
The smile her compliment brought to his face was enough to make any grumpy old git warm up inside. Yeah, New York was definitely a rough city but compared to back home it was almost like a pussy cat. A very noisy, loud pussy cat that definitely had claws but didn’t scratch much (at least, Shaz hadn’t experienced the pain of it yet). Home, however, was a big and loud dog that hadn’t been given a single obedience lesson.
Shaz couldn’t help but laugh a little. She talked weird, did she? At least he’d said it was nice before that. “Well, ta very much. I’ll take it as a compliment,” she teased him before she stepped back, letting him deal with the customers who were now shuffling down like zombies as he took their orders. Officer workers almost always looked dead but then the coffee just perked them right up again! Silently, Shaz watched the way he worked, the almost messy way he scrawled down what coffee a pink pen, the way he tossed money into the till without any inkling of a desire to organise it, his shaky hands as he poured and the soft smile he served with. Truthfully, he seemed like a gentle guy. A little negligent in certain things, sure, but she was positive his attitude would make up for it … right?
The customers were served, happy with their coffees and meandered off leaving Shaz and the barista to talk business. He repeated himself but then quickly picked up on it before Shaz had a chance to react. She grinned, a little knot of excitement working its way into her gut as the prospect of actually applying to a job sunk in. “Uhm, yeah, that’d be great!”
Shaz couldn’t help but laugh a little. She talked weird, did she? At least he’d said it was nice before that. “Well, ta very much. I’ll take it as a compliment,” she teased him before she stepped back, letting him deal with the customers who were now shuffling down like zombies as he took their orders. Officer workers almost always looked dead but then the coffee just perked them right up again! Silently, Shaz watched the way he worked, the almost messy way he scrawled down what coffee a pink pen, the way he tossed money into the till without any inkling of a desire to organise it, his shaky hands as he poured and the soft smile he served with. Truthfully, he seemed like a gentle guy. A little negligent in certain things, sure, but she was positive his attitude would make up for it … right?
The customers were served, happy with their coffees and meandered off leaving Shaz and the barista to talk business. He repeated himself but then quickly picked up on it before Shaz had a chance to react. She grinned, a little knot of excitement working its way into her gut as the prospect of actually applying to a job sunk in. “Uhm, yeah, that’d be great!”
He exhaled a huge sigh of relief as he looked out into the cafe and realised that the busy business men and woman were starting to leave, presumably going back to work. Good, he thought to himself, no more rude people for a while. It's a shame really, there's such a contrast of different people and different personalities in New York but sometimes it felt that only people with no manners came in at this peak time.
Damn. He had forgotten to do till totals. He shifted slightly to the left and punched the code into the till, which made a loud but nice bing sound as it popped open, almost bashing into his skinny legs. He didn't look up from his new task and he subconsciously started to frown, realising that again, his carelessness with the till would make it harder to do the totals. "You see, this crap-machine-robot-thing is manual. Can't automatically tell you how much is in it." He tutted loudly as he swiped a calculator from close to where Shaz was standing and started punching numbers into it. "So why'd you wanna work here?" He continued to whack numbers into the calculator as he spoke. Most likely entering the wrong numbers as per usual. "It can get pretty hectic in here sometimes, as you saw. Job is alright. Pretty easy, uh, not like brain surgery..." He shrugged. Did he really just compare a barrister to a neurosurgeon? Yes. He did. "Anyway, money is alright I suppose. Well, money is money and that's all that counts these days."
He suddenly stopped pressing the numbers on the small black calculator and looked right at Shaz. "Where are my manners!" His tone of voice changed completely, his normal soft spoken words had just raised up to be quite high pitched. "So, my name is James, by the way. It's nice to, you know, meet you? I guess." Jeez, he hoped that Shaz didn't think that he was rude for not introducing himself earlier. He had completely forgotten, just like he had forgotten to finish that till total.
Damn. He had forgotten to do till totals. He shifted slightly to the left and punched the code into the till, which made a loud but nice bing sound as it popped open, almost bashing into his skinny legs. He didn't look up from his new task and he subconsciously started to frown, realising that again, his carelessness with the till would make it harder to do the totals. "You see, this crap-machine-robot-thing is manual. Can't automatically tell you how much is in it." He tutted loudly as he swiped a calculator from close to where Shaz was standing and started punching numbers into it. "So why'd you wanna work here?" He continued to whack numbers into the calculator as he spoke. Most likely entering the wrong numbers as per usual. "It can get pretty hectic in here sometimes, as you saw. Job is alright. Pretty easy, uh, not like brain surgery..." He shrugged. Did he really just compare a barrister to a neurosurgeon? Yes. He did. "Anyway, money is alright I suppose. Well, money is money and that's all that counts these days."
He suddenly stopped pressing the numbers on the small black calculator and looked right at Shaz. "Where are my manners!" His tone of voice changed completely, his normal soft spoken words had just raised up to be quite high pitched. "So, my name is James, by the way. It's nice to, you know, meet you? I guess." Jeez, he hoped that Shaz didn't think that he was rude for not introducing himself earlier. He had completely forgotten, just like he had forgotten to finish that till total.
Shaz watched him sigh and couldn’t help but smile a little sympathetically. Hell, it must’ve been hard work with all the suits and stuff shuffling around. Money was money, though, and in a world like this you couldn’t really be picky with whose coffee you poured. Most of them were brain dead due to lack of energy but others were just plain rude. That’s why Shaz had been fired from her last job back home. Apparently, it’s wrong for employees to punch people in the face for calling them incompetent! Who would’ve thought it?
She laughed softly at his “crap-machine-robot-thing” statement, smirking as he took a calculator and started stabbing it with his finger, adding up whatever notes and coins he’d chucked in carelessly. She tapped her chin thoughtfully at his question and shrugged a little nonchalantly.
“Really, I just need t’money. Besides, seems like a nice enough place to work.” Aah, the woes of the modern world. Money. Really, that’s what made the world turn, didn’t it? Screw love. Not everyone was lucky in that situation, right? At least, Shaz wasn’t. Well, she was but then things got confusing and he disappeared. Still, it’d be nice to see him again. She missed his smile.
“Yeah, but I think ‘m okay with ‘ectic crowds.” Football hooligan memories spring to mind and she can’t help the little smile that slips across her face. “Money sure is money. Kinda ‘ard to come across without workin’ ya’ backside off though.” And even then, you might not even have enough to go out and get all your essential shopping done. Milk, bread, food for the rats … she hoped they were settling into the apartment well. As much as she wished she could speak rat she couldn’t, so she had to gauge their happiness from their activity. They were docile as ever, though, rubbing noses with their handler.
A little surprised by his sudden shift in vocal pitch, she grins as he introduces himself.
“Yeah, it’s nice t’meet ya’, James.” No, she didn’t think him rude. A little forgetful and maybe absent-minded at times, but friendly enough all the same.
She laughed softly at his “crap-machine-robot-thing” statement, smirking as he took a calculator and started stabbing it with his finger, adding up whatever notes and coins he’d chucked in carelessly. She tapped her chin thoughtfully at his question and shrugged a little nonchalantly.
“Really, I just need t’money. Besides, seems like a nice enough place to work.” Aah, the woes of the modern world. Money. Really, that’s what made the world turn, didn’t it? Screw love. Not everyone was lucky in that situation, right? At least, Shaz wasn’t. Well, she was but then things got confusing and he disappeared. Still, it’d be nice to see him again. She missed his smile.
“Yeah, but I think ‘m okay with ‘ectic crowds.” Football hooligan memories spring to mind and she can’t help the little smile that slips across her face. “Money sure is money. Kinda ‘ard to come across without workin’ ya’ backside off though.” And even then, you might not even have enough to go out and get all your essential shopping done. Milk, bread, food for the rats … she hoped they were settling into the apartment well. As much as she wished she could speak rat she couldn’t, so she had to gauge their happiness from their activity. They were docile as ever, though, rubbing noses with their handler.
A little surprised by his sudden shift in vocal pitch, she grins as he introduces himself.
“Yeah, it’s nice t’meet ya’, James.” No, she didn’t think him rude. A little forgetful and maybe absent-minded at times, but friendly enough all the same.
He had continued to do the till totals, not looking up as Shaz was speaking and he was half listening, half concentrating. Which is actually pretty good for James since he'd normally just daydream. He smirked as he heard Shaz's comment about how 'money is money', he completely agreed. Everyone needed money and there just didn't seem to be enough anymore. Everything was suddenly so expensive now, as if the price jumped on a trampoline overnight. Bird millet used to be $2.99 for a smallish bag but it now seems to be $3.59. It was the absolute outrage of the century. He just couldn't believe it.
He dropped the calculator out of his hands and it hit the counter with a soft thud and scribbled the overall total on some scrunched up bit of notepaper that had been carelessly stuffed into the side of the wall. Finally, he was finished with that. Well, he wasn't one hundred percent sure if he had finished but he had grown bored of it so he decided to give up.
He smiled at their introduction and grabbed Shaz's hand from by her side and shook it, poor girl didn't even have time to react. "Well it's nice to meet you as well." He wasn't too sure what to make of Shaz. She seemed pretty nice and she just seemed like the type of person you could have a good laugh with, although, James was betting that she is a no-nonsense type of girl. Not a push over and definitely not afraid to speak her mind. That's a good thing, you needed that attitude to live in this city.
"I hope you get the job, not many people have applied. You know? It's, uh, pretty difficult to manage it by myself sometimes, not that I'm complaining though…I'm lucky to work here but still. There used to be two of us. Some guy called Mike and myself until we found out he was some kind of druggy and went to court." He scratched the back of his head, not really sure what he was supposed to be doing. (Like normal.) And hoping that he wasn't boring Shaz or getting too off-topic. "So right, you say you're good with crowds? Great, because I'm not!" He softly laughed to himself, wondering how he even coped to begin with. "I guess you're alright with like, counting? Counting money I mean. Not counting random stuff. Uh, and just pouring coffee, serving cakes and stuff like that. Pretty easy." He glanced around the cafe, it looked like most of the customers had left which was good. It normally does this. Extremely quiet, extremely busy and then extremely quiet again. "This job is also good because you get free cakes whenever you want… Shall I get you an application form?"
He dropped the calculator out of his hands and it hit the counter with a soft thud and scribbled the overall total on some scrunched up bit of notepaper that had been carelessly stuffed into the side of the wall. Finally, he was finished with that. Well, he wasn't one hundred percent sure if he had finished but he had grown bored of it so he decided to give up.
He smiled at their introduction and grabbed Shaz's hand from by her side and shook it, poor girl didn't even have time to react. "Well it's nice to meet you as well." He wasn't too sure what to make of Shaz. She seemed pretty nice and she just seemed like the type of person you could have a good laugh with, although, James was betting that she is a no-nonsense type of girl. Not a push over and definitely not afraid to speak her mind. That's a good thing, you needed that attitude to live in this city.
"I hope you get the job, not many people have applied. You know? It's, uh, pretty difficult to manage it by myself sometimes, not that I'm complaining though…I'm lucky to work here but still. There used to be two of us. Some guy called Mike and myself until we found out he was some kind of druggy and went to court." He scratched the back of his head, not really sure what he was supposed to be doing. (Like normal.) And hoping that he wasn't boring Shaz or getting too off-topic. "So right, you say you're good with crowds? Great, because I'm not!" He softly laughed to himself, wondering how he even coped to begin with. "I guess you're alright with like, counting? Counting money I mean. Not counting random stuff. Uh, and just pouring coffee, serving cakes and stuff like that. Pretty easy." He glanced around the cafe, it looked like most of the customers had left which was good. It normally does this. Extremely quiet, extremely busy and then extremely quiet again. "This job is also good because you get free cakes whenever you want… Shall I get you an application form?"
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