The New Life Experience


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“Back again?” Lisa, a 26 years old woman and the proud owner of the thriving little coffee shop in MapleCreek, asked me with a smile that looks like a deep slow grin which always exposes her snow white teeth.
“Yes Lisa. I really enjoy the taste of your coffee.” I said.
Since my retirement from active duty a couple of months ago, I decided to relocate to the small town of MapleCreek to escape the busyness of the city where I own an apartment building which has not really given me the comfort and peace I needed to forge ahead beyond the sad memories of my past experiences that often keeps me up at nights.

As a soldier who had gone through war and seen it all, peace and quiet became the most sought after treasure to calm my troubled heart. I arrived in MapleCreek on a cold Friday evening at about 8:46pm. Most of the stores had already closed for the day and ‘Lisa’s Cafe’ was the only spot still opened.
I walked towards the entrance and was about opening the door when the door pushed opened from the inside and hits me in the face.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there.” Lisa said. She immediately puts aside the trash bag she was holding and helps me off the floor.
“It’s fine. It’s my fault really.” I said as I managed a smile.
“Why don’t you come in for a hot cup of coffee? Please, it’s on the house.”
“I’d really like that.” I said.
She led me into the shop that also looks like a store due to the different jars of coffee beans neatly labeled and stacked on the shelves behind her counter. She swiftly goes behind the counter, gets a cup and in a few minutes, puts the steaming hot cup of coffee on the table before me.
“Thank you very much.”
“Oh please, it’s the least I could do for almost breaking your nose.” She smiles.
I started to drink the coffee which had a creamy taste with just the right amount of sugar that gave it a balanced flavor which made me feel invigorating.
Moments later, I got up to leave and thanked her for the coffee. I then realized that the reason why I walked toward her cafe in the first place was to ask for directions to my new house.
“Excuse me Miss…”
“Lisa. The name is Lisa.”
“Okay Lisa. My name is Stephen and I’m afraid I need your help with directions to 2254 MapleCreek Drive. I should have arrived here earlier but my flight was delayed. Hence, the need to ask for directions which led to the door smash.”

She laughed and took out a folded piece of paper from the counter containing a mini map of the the town and handed it over to me. I opened the map and she pointed to my destination on it.
“Thank you very much Lisa. And thanks for the coffee. It was unlike anything kind I’ve tasted before.”
“That’s because I grow mine through a peculiar process I learnt from my Mom before she passed away.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s totally fine. Take care now.” She waved at me as she begins closing up her cafe for night
I waved her goodbye and left the cafe.

For two weeks since my arrival at the little town, I was going to the cafe daily to drink Lisa’s special coffee and also watch her mingle with her customers with such cheerfulness. She loves chatting with them and they love conversing with her too.
“You know Stephen, if you’re going to be coming over here everyday, I might as well teach you how to grow the beans yourself.” Lisa said as she came to me with another cup of coffee.
“Why would I want to do that?” I asked.
“Well, it seems to me like you are need of something to care for. Growing these beans entail a lot of care and attention. That is the secret to its extraordinary flavor.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“Yup.” She giggled, walked straight to counter and brought me a a couple of beans wrapped in a little brown bag.

“Find a fertile ground behind your house, clear it off any weeds, dig it open a bit and put in the seeds. Don’t forget to pour some water on the spot daily.”
“Okay then, thank you.”
I left there feeling a bit reluctant about it. The next morning, I followed her instructions and planted the seeds behind my window so I can watch it’s growth and progress from my bedroom window.

For three weeks I continued the process of watering it and clearing off any weeds that grew around it. Five weeks later, I went to Lisa and told her about the growth of the plant and how I’ve been able to completely free myself of some heart troubling issues from my days as a soldier.

“The first time I saw you outside my cafe, you looked to me like a troubled man in search of tranquility. And I was right. The coffee beans I gave you represented your previous self, which had to die so that a new life can grow up again.”

“Wow, you sound like a shrink Lisa, you know that right?” She laughed again with that same grin and cheerfulness she’s always had and left to answer the call of another customer in need of coffee.

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