Tuesday 2 September 2008

Mark and David

TING

It was around 10AM and two men carrying briefcases walked briskly into the coffee shop. They were talking loudly about the situation in Burma and arguining over a delicate political matter. One of the men leant over the wooden desk and took off his glasses rubing the ridge in the top of his nose.
'...but Mark, I'm afraid you're missing the point. These people are completely unpresented. It is bullying, it is tyranny and we are completely unable to tackle it without the backup of the USA.' Lil looked at them calmly from the otherside of the desk. She was staring a little closely so that the man who had been talking interrupted himself and looked round at her, as if coming out of a transe.
'Hello, good morning, I've not seen you here before.'
'Morning,' she said smiling.
'Excellent,' he said, flicking his eyes over her and staightening up.
'I would like a strong capuccino with one shot, not two, and...Mark?'
'An americano please, with a little cold milk.' Lilith turned round to the coffee machine and with a little more ease, banged out the coffee grind and sent more puffs of acrid smoke into the air and seemed to fuel the debate again which she could hear going on again enthusiastically behind her.
'It is surely a question of human rights, screw the hierarchies, it's about liberty. They've got no fucking freedom of speech, for God's sake.'
'I quite agree... I just feel the press could be doing more, I mean, what's on the front of the paper this morning? Fearne Britton loses ten pounds? Who gives a flying flock when people are so utterly repressed that it makes one sick.'
'I know, I know.' Said the other man as Lilith carefully placed two very full cups of coffee infront of them. The froth on the capuccino was certainly better but she knew it was still not up to scratch. She avoided both men's eyes, convinced she was wearing the guilty look of an utter coffee novice.
'Right, right,' said the brisk man, whom she gathered was called Dave as the very next second:
'Dave, Mark! How are you both?' It was Tulip calling over from the sofa and putting down her crime novel.
'Tulip, how are you?' Said Mark in a gentle voice. Both men took their briefcases over and seemed to abandon their political talk infront of the woman, in favour of hushed whispers and glances over to the desk where Lilith stood, trying to look occupied.

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