Sydney could not stop beaming on her way to her uncle's farm. She remembered how she and her siblings used to play on the coffee farm and joined in the coffee harvest. The coffee smell, the hardworking workers on the farm who always seemed not to run out of stories to tell them, the store, and the feast afterward to celebrate the harvest. As she drew closer to the farm her nostrils were welcomed by the rich smell of coffee, she felt warmth from the inside and instantly felt at home.
Though she arrived a few months after the harvest, she never expected to see the farm looking deserted. She could see a few workers seated and having a heated discussion about something. As she passed by, some of them recognized her, removed their hats, and placed them firmly on their chest as a sign of salutation. Sydney waved back at them with a smile. An elderly woman came out from one of the sheds, saw her, and rushed towards her with her arms open wide. "Aunty, " exclaimed Sydney as she ran into her arms in a warm embrace.
"Darling, you never told me you were coming, we would have made preparations."
"I wanted to surprise you and uncle Tim," Sydney said to her Aunt who still looked surprised but happy.
"Come let's go see him, he is inside his office. "
Inside the office, Uncle Tim was concentrating on some documents on his table and puffing away on a cigar, when he raised his head to see his niece and wife.
"Tim, Look at what the cat dragged in."
"I must be dreaming, if it's not my favorite niece," Tim said happily. Sydney rushed over to his side and gave him a big hug. She could smell the strong coffee scent on him, Uncle Tim looks the same but for some gray hairs and some wrinkles on his face.
They both laughed as Uncle Tim made some jokes about how chubby she was 10 years ago and how she could be mistaken for a supermodel now. He asked after her work at the investment firm in New York, her siblings and urged her to give him full details on each of them.
"We have a lot to discuss and catch up on, but first, I noticed when I was coming that the workers had reduced in number and the farm looked deserted. What seems to be the problem?"
Tim knew that Sydney will never stop asking questions until she gets answers. So he briefly filled her in on the recent downturn in sales as a result of a change in the country's administration and economic policies and his biggest buyer had to move on to another country. Since then he has been struggling to keep the farm afloat and most of the harvest goes stale and looses its flavor as there are no major buyers.
Sydney was shocked and sad to hear the news. She couldn't believe that her uncle had kept this all to himself and hadn't asked for help from them.
"Let's go have dinner and don't bother your pretty head about this, we'll get through it." Uncle Tim said to Sydney to calm her and to wipe off the look of concern and sadness written all over her face. Sydney shot her uncle a stern look and took the documents on his table and began to peruse them. Her uncle and his wife stood aside and watched as Sydney dropped her bag and went to work. After a while, she raised her head to see her uncle sitting by the doorpost on his recliner. "I think I have gotten the solution to our little problem," she said, face bright.
Tim quickly moved closer to hear her out. I just have to make a few calls. She said as she moved away from the table and with her phone pressed to her ear. After she had made some calls. She returned to the table and began pointing to some figures and explained to her uncle her solution. She had in a matter of minutes come up with a way to sell off the coffee beans wasting away to potential buyers in the country and abroad who deal in other alternative uses of stale coffee and production of coffee like fertilizers, coffee flour, Cascadia,selosoda,ethanol, green energy etc and she also got two coffee company that were willing to come over and take a look at the coffee beans and if they like what they see then they can easily buy in bulk from the next harvest.
She looked up after explaining all the plans to see a proud look plastered on her uncle's face and tears streaming down his cheeks. "I don't know what to say, darling. Thank you."
"Sydney felt a tug at her heart and said I'm happy that I can be of help." she gently wiped off the tears from her uncle's face. Aunty Salome came in and informed them that the table is set for lunch and they should come and eat but Tim hugged her and told her all what Sydney had just done for the farm. " We are back in business!" he exclaimed.
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In a matter of days, Sydney marketed her uncle's old coffee beans using the technology and the knowledge acquired in business management. All the stacked-up old coffee beans were sold in bulks until there was none remaining and money made from the sales were enough to keep the farm afloat and running.
This is my entry to this week's #spillthebeans prompt 20.