Awkward Customer
Awkward Customer
By Derek McMillan
“A black coffee, please.”
“Can I get you anything to eat?”
“Well, I would quite like your liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.”
Marie looked at the customer and decided he was probably joking.
“I can do you a tongue sandwich,” she replied and he settled for that.
He was the only customer in Dewhurst’s cafe at the time and she got chatting with him for want of anything better to do.
“I ain’t seen yer around here, have I?”
“Well, no. I’m new in town. I’m looking for work if you’re short.”
Marie Dewhurst was 4ft 6 inches tall, or 1371 millimetres if you’re feeling continental. Irritatingly she was actually short of staff so Paul Aldridge (for such was his name) ended up with a job in the cafe on a trial basis.
There were usually a few customers in the cafe at any one time so the first time Paul was serving — and there was only one customer — was when Daniel Barker came in for his usual bacon sandwich.
“Pleased to meet you, my name is Paul.”
Daniel Barker was a man of few words so he didn’t respond. He sat and ate his sandwich in silence. Experts disagree about whether that was the cause of what happened next.
Daniel worked in a tobacconist — that’s like a vape shop but with actual cigarettes. The tobacconist with the sign “NEWS CON TOB” over the door didn’t open that day.
When the proprietor arrived at ten, she thought of a few choice words she would address to Daniel if she ever saw him again.
She didn’t.
Employees of the cafe were entitled to eat during the day and Mavis noticed that young Paul didn’t take advantage of this perk for the next few days.
The next disappearee was Paul himself. He had taken the flat above the cafe but headed off for pastures new with no forwarding address.
Marie not only had to find a new employee but also a new tenant.
When she had a look around she found there were some clothes still in the washing machine which looked remarkably like Daniel’s. There were also some strange bones in the bin.
She was very careful to interrogate her next prospective employee about their eating habits. She wanted to be on the safe side.
About the Author
Derek McMillan is a writer in Durrington in the UK.
His editor is his wife, Angela.
He has written for print and online publications in the UK, USA and Canada.
His latest book is the audio-book with the cheery title "Murder From Beyond the Grave" which is available on eBay.
Check it out.
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