Fiction by Alice Baburek
The old woman shuffled into the cozy and popular place. The line was longer than usual, yet she had no qualms with waiting. She held her prize possession against her sagging chest.
After several minutes, her legs began to ache. She tried desperately to rid her mind of the continuous pain. Finally, it was her turn.
“Good morning, Joan. I’ll have my usual, dear.” Her faded blue eyes still twinkled. A smile filled with yellow, crooked teeth. Her thinned gray hair tousled from the cold, blustering wind. But nothing could deter Elsie Mills from her rooted routine each morning. Nothing.
“Morning, Elsie. How are you feeling today?” Joan busily toasted the bagel twice and smothered it with melted butter. Just the way Elsie liked it.
“Every day is a good day when you’re alive!” Joan chuckled as Elsie waddled along to the register. “Coffee, please.” The tall young man handed her a medium-sized cup.
The second-hand coat hung to her knobby, arthritic knees. She fished inside the pocket. After several tries, Elsie yanked out a five-dollar bill. With a shaky hand, she gave it to the cashier. The other hand held the precious commodity.
Without saying a word, he took the money and gave Elsie the change. She abruptly shoved it back into her pocket. Change came in handy when taking the long bus ride home.
Minutes later, Elsie sat alone in the crowded cafe. The small round wooden table fit her nicely. She sipped at her steaming brew—roasted hazelnut, her favorite. With an everything bagel to her right and a hot cup of coffee to her left, she dared to open her escape from reality.
Today was an adventure like never before. Traveling the countryside on a wing and a prayer. Enjoying heaven’s delight as nature greets the foolhardy, leaving the chaotic world behind.
A warm summer breeze. The sun glistens off the white-capped waves as they roll onto the bronze sandy beach. Life at its purest moment.
Elsie let out a huge sigh. The Morning Café had emptied. She had been reading for hours. What was left of her coffee had become cold to the touch. The tasty bagel was long consumed in all its delicacy; how she yearned for younger days. When her life was no longer ruled by sickness and pain. When her mind was sharp and free from muddiness.
For Elsie, the enlightening sense of freedom came in books where imagination brought peace and serenity without physical restrictions and inabilities.
The frail woman leaned back and closed her grainy eyes. Suddenly, exhaustion reclaimed her body as it went limp. The book slipped closed. Her right hand fell by her side. Elsie drifted away into an endless sleep.
The paramedic checked her pulse once more. She looked up at her fellow EMT. Slowly, she shook her head. The two of them loaded the deceased woman onto the gurney. It was then they both noticed something quite strange. Elsie Mills was smiling.
Alice Baburek is an avid reader, determined writer and animal lover. Retired, she challenges herself to become an unforgettable emerging voice.
