She ordered, then we sat in the doughnut shop. She took off her trench. Underneath she had on a flowy, low-cut emerald top, with a black and white patterned collar. She looked like one of those pictures that are black and white with the one color popping out. I felt under dressed in my plain white tee and dark-wash genes.
“So, what’s so wrong with your life?” She asked.
I smiled. “Nothing.” She waited for me to explain. I sighed. “I was a child progeny a couple months ago, now I can’t find work. I ran out of money. If I die now, my music will be remembered.”
“Well that’s a dumb reason.”
“Is it?”
“Very! I can’t believe you would be so selfish!”
“I don’t think I would have gone through with it.”
“What?”
“I said, I don’t think I would have gone through with it.”
“I know what you said, What do you mean by that?”
“We artsy types are rarely martyrs. Honestly, I was just waiting for someone like you to come and save me.” She looked at me like I was a crazed chimp.
“You are a danger to society, you know that!”
“Quite possibly.”
“How could you do something like that!!”
“It worked didn’t it?”
She stared at me. “I guess it did. Don’t do it again!”
“Yes ma’am.” There was an awkward silence again. “So, what do you do for a living?”
“I’m a designer.”
“Of what?”
“Clothes, I designed these.”
“They look good on you.”
“Thank you, I thought so.”
“So, uh... What’s your name?” I asked.
“Branwen, and yours?”
“Nechemiah, It’s Hebrew.”
“Branwen was a tragic Irish heroine.”
“How old are you?” I asked
“My ID says I’m 22.”
“How old are you?” I laughed.
“Seventeen. I like to aim high.”
“When’s your birthday?”
“Next month, the second.”
“Happy early birthday.”
“Thanks.”
I was becoming familiar with our awkward silences.
“Why didn’t you order anything?” She asked.
“I told you, I ran out of money.”
“Can I tell you a secret? I don’t have any money either.”
“What! How are you going to pay for it?”
“I’m not. Now go up and order!”
“No! I can’t pay for it.”
“Just trust me! Aren’t you hungry?”
“Well, yes, but-”
“But nothing! Go order!”
“I-”
“Go!”
“But-”
“GO!”
“Fine!”
“Ok!”
“I’m going!”
“Get out of here!”
I walked up to the front. The bored-looking cashier asked for my order.
“Um... yes... I’d like to have a raspberry jelly-filled glazed doughnut... and a coffee.”
“That will be $3.77”
I looked back at Branwen. She mouthed the words “Come get the money at the table.”
“Uh.. I’ll go get my money at the table.” I said. As I walked back to the table I motioned to her to start explaining herself.
“Just sit down! look like your not doing anything wrong!”
“You are going to get us thrown out!”
“Possibly, maybe even arrested!”
“What?!”
“Just sit down!”
“Whatever!” I sat. After a few minutes the cashier called Branwen’s order. She smiled, and got up to collect it. She sat down with her doughnut. My name was called next.
When I came back she said, “Coffee to? We’re going to jail.”
“Is that sarcasm?”
“No, not at all.”
I sighed.
Once we had finished she put her coat on. “Let’’s go before they realize we didn’t pay.”
“Finally!”
As we were inconspicuously leaving the cashier asked if we were going to pay. Branwen said no.
“I’ll have to call the police?” He said it as a question.
Branwen said boldly “You do that. Meanwhile, we’ll be leaving.”
“Branwen!”
“Let’s GO!”
