It was another typical day at Dulce’s Café, I was making my usual runs around the small café with a pitcher of freshly brew café de la olla* and taking orders for the lunch hour. I was the café’s one of the two waitresses since old Doña* Lucia, wouldn’t hire anyone new due to not wanting to trust the young people of today. Doña Lucia has two daughters helping her in the kitchen, and a niece of hers was the second waitress. I really liked my part-time job, I grew up in the neighborhood all my life, in some way we all know each other being a Latino community. Been calling this part of Saphine City my home for the past twenty-one years.

“Teresa,” Doña Lucia called from the kitchen counter,

“Si, Doña Lucia?”

“Mija* we got new costumers coming in, go get their order.”

“Right away.”

Three girls entered and took a seat at a small round table located in the corner of the café next to the window overlooking the outside. I made my way toward them, leaving the pitcher of coffee on the counter, grabbing some menu’s and the small spiral notebook ready to take their orders, as I got closer I examined the three girls, they were all well dressed in brands, looked like high schoolers, the one girl sitting alone facing her two friends, had golden brown hair with a few blonde highlights, it was short and wavy just pacing an inch from her neckline. For some reason I couldn’t stop staring at her, but was taken out of my trance when one of her friends spoke to me,

“Uh hello? Anyone home? Can we get the menu’s?”

“Oh yes, I’m sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment. I’m sorry but do I know you?” Turning to face the golden-brown hair girl.

“I don’t think so, this is our first time here.” She responded while I handed her a menu.

“Oh well, welcome to Dulce’s Café, I am Teresa your waiter for today, would you like me to come back and give you a moment to view the menu?”

“Nah we are good; you can bring us three salads.”

“We only have the spring salad today, it has romaine lettuce, rainbow swiss chard, red onion, orange wedges, grated carrot, beets and it leaves, topped with almonds, finally drizzled over it a honey-orange vinaigrette. Would that be okay?” I darted my eyes between the three girls.

“Sounds delightful,” one of the two friends said.

“Perfect, I will get those in for you, and to drink?”

“Just water for us all,” answered the same girl again for her two friends. She had long blonde hair, with black highlights. It would seem she was the leader of the group.

“No problem I will get your water and bring you your salads.” I made my way over to the counter where the call window was at to give my order to the kitchen crew, “I need three spring salads with everything.”

“Heard you Teresa, your order will be right up!” One of Doña Lucia’s daughters answered.

“Gracias*.” I answered back.

I was inputting the order onto the registry box, when Doña Lucia called out “Order up! Three spring salad with everything.”

Smiling I took the order, I was making my way back to the girls when all of a sudden there was a great tremor.

Dictionary / References

Café de la Olla – Coffee ground brewed in a pot, generally with cinnamon and piloncillo (pure cane sugar, referred to as brown sugar.)

Doña – Meaning Ms./ Mrs. in Spanish, in Mexican heritage it’s taught to show the elders or person of seniority, said before a name of person to indicate respect.

Mija – meaning “my child” in to phrase a young girl. In Mexican heritage the elderly may call a young woman or girl ‘mija’ even if they aren’t related by blood.

Gracias – Thank you/ Thanks