Read The Tale of a Boy in a Coffee Shop :: Pride #2

"Does pride really make us ashamed to work at our grandma's place, owner?"

"Do you think it doesn't?" The old lady poured some warm milk into her cup.

"I am not sure, I don't think I will fell ashamed. Does that mean I don't have pride?" He looked at the old lady in front of him. He had questioning expression but with sad eyes.

"Well, let's see... That boy said to his grandmother that his friends already started working at other cities. That's why he also had to. Why did you he have to?"

With puzzled mind, the boy thought carefully. He would like to hit the mark. There was something in the corner of his heart made him think that he didn't want to lose to this question. "Weird.." He said to himself, "What is this feeling of not wanting to lose?" He took a moment to process this sting in his chest.

"Is it because, he didn't want to be a laughing matter amongst his friends? He didn't want to lose to his friends?" The boy finally asked back.

She smiled gently to him, "It might be one of the forms. But, it doesn't always have a bad impact, little boy." The old lady rubbed her hand on the boy's head, then she walked away behind the kitchen door, taking something.

And a little seed started to grow in the corner of the boy's heart. But, it wasn't something bad.... yet.

Suddenly the door was opened. There, stood a young man not even taller than 5'6", looking inside the dim lighted cafe. It looked like he just finished crying and repenting over himself.

"Big Brother James!!!" The boy shouted and jumped down his chair. He rushed and bumped himself to that young man.

"Oh, hello, Charlie. Long time no see. How are you?" That young man tried to lift that boy up to his shoulder, "Argh... you are so heavy now!!" He put the boy down the floor again.

"Of course, I am already ten!" The boy answered in a proud tone.

The young man smiled and ruffled the boy's hair roughly. He looked down with a tender love like a real older brother, though they weren't blood related at all. The old lady looked at those two while sipping her coffee. Then, the young man lifted up his face, straight to the old lady.

"I am sorry."

An awkward silence floated between them, especially when there was that little boy in the middle. The old lady just smiled sympathetically. It's not like he will back to me anyway, the lady said inside her heart.

"But I am still not going to work here. At least... not now. It's no more about pride, it's just.... I think... I think it's better for me to see the outside worlsd more. But I will definitely come back and help you here. Definitely."

"Are you going somewhere, Brother James? Is it going to be long? Will you come back?" The boy clung his hands to the young man.

The young man smiled, "Of course I will. I promise you," He offered his pinky finger to the boy. The boy pouted but knotted his pinky finger to the youn man's.

"Just don't forget to send me a letter. Once a month is good enough," The old lady finally said softly.

The young man looked at her and took off his hat, bowed deeply to his chest. Then he walked away the cafe. The boy followed him until the edge of the door. He didn't see puddle of tears in the corner the old lady's eyes.