Doctor Jake

I’ll never forget the first time Jake walked into the coffee house.  It was 6:45 on a Thursday evening and he looked like a harried college professor, only twenty years younger than one would expect.  His suit was disheveled and his hair pulled back in a wild ponytail at the nape of his neck.  1

He came straight to the counter and looked about as though he did not see me right in front of him.  Then as if suddenly realized I was there he stood up a bit straighter and nodded.  “Yep they were right it is perfect, is everything set then?”  2

The blank look on my face must have been a dead give away that I had no clue what he was talking about.  3

“The book group… Here… Tonight…  they said they were going to set it all up with you.  There will be ten grad students here in about fifteen minutes expecting coffee and a discussion.”4

I smiled and figured what the heck, I had nothing else to do.  I nodded and he breathed a sigh of relief.  5

Without so much as a thank you he started hustling about rearranging my tables and chairs and pulling papers out of a leather messenger bag that looked like it had seen better days.6

As the first students walked hesitantly thru the front door I set out a tray with cups and the first pots of coffee.  A pretty girl walked up and smiled and handed me a five-dollar bill.  “Doctor. Jake said it was five bucks a night, thanks for lets us come on such short notice.”7

Doctor Jake now holds a book group every Thursday night, twice a month for his grad students and twice a month for the locals.  I provide coffee, the left over cookies from the day and in the winter there is usually a pot of soup.  It is still five bucks a night.8