Every afternoon, Roger ordered one tea and an empty second cup. He asked the waitress to leave both on his table.
When she finally asked who he was waiting for, he said nobody. His wife passed the window every day.
The waitress offered a second teabag. Roger quickly stopped her….
Roger came into the cafe at two every afternoon. He ordered a pot of tea, one biscuit and two cups.
He poured tea into one cup. The other stayed empty on the opposite side of the table.
The waitress, Nina, asked whether his friend wanted a biscuit too.
Not today, Roger said.
After a week, Nina began to feel sorry for him. Whoever he was waiting for never arrived.
She offered him a window seat so he could watch the street.
Roger said the window seat was important.
At half past two, a woman passed with a shopping trolley. She looked in, saw Roger, smiled and waved.
Roger waved back.
Your friend? Nina asked.
My wife.
Nina asked whether she wanted to come in. Roger said she was busy.
The next day, Nina cleared the empty cup while Roger was reading.
He looked up at once.
Could you leave that, please?
It hasn’t been used.
I know.
Nina put it back. She asked whether someone was still coming.
Roger looked towards the window.
Nobody. It’s just useful.
He explained that his wife did the shopping after lunch. If she saw him alone, she came in with half the list.
If there was a second cup, she assumed he was having a quiet chat with a friend. She left him to it.
Nina said he could simply tell her he wanted half an hour with his newspaper.
I tried. She said I could read it in the queue at the butcher’s.
Nina laughed. She picked up the teapot.
At least let me make the second cup look right. I’ll bring another teabag.
Roger reached out and stopped her.
Why not? she asked.
He glanced at the shopping trolley approaching the window.
Then she’ll see there’s enough for her.
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