YIFM06
[Date | Nov-9-24]
[Barista | Matcha]
[Subject | Mr. Dan]
[File Reference | YIFM06 | Paid]
That concludes Mr. Dan’s service at the Cafe and Diner, paid and sent back to Ottawa just in time for the coming winter. Hopefully, he’ll find his way back to the Cafe next spring, though Abbey Z. Bleudel didn’t seem particularly confident he would. I suppose that’s how these things go. Still, it was a pleasure to make his acquaintance while I could.
Yet, we’re left with lingering questions—nagging, gnawing ones that demand answers. Chief among them: what was causing Mr. Dan such profound discomfort? Travel between Canada and the States is hardly without its inconveniences and “jet lag,” but nothing so severe that it would override his own survival instincts. Most customers—particularly those with the a “Mr.” distinction—are eager, even desperate, to return home. Why was Mr. Dan so… different?
Perhaps the specific “flight” Corylus and Prunus crafted wasn’t as turbulence-free as we assumed. Abbey certainly seemed to suggest as much, calling their methods… what was the word? “Illicit.” Whatever the true reason, something had rattled Mr. Dan to the core. And speaking of Abbey—her own unease lingered just beneath the surface, subtle but unmistakable. She seemed troubled, not just by the growing border conflicts but perhaps by her connection to them. There was a tension in her posture, a flicker in her voice, particularly when she spoke of her younger brother. It’s hard to say, but it left me wondering whether her relationship with the Orchard Concord itself is as solid as it appears.
Despite the friction, Abbey gave us a few Canadian dollars and a curious parting gift of what seems to be a mycelium growth serum. I believe it should produce a fairy ring within a few weeks. There’s no obligation to visit her in Ottawa—she made that clear enough—but I can’t help but feel her intentions are, if not altruistic, at least aligned with my own. Abbey may have her motives, but I suspect they stem from a desire to protect those who need it most—much like my own reasons for working within the Cafe. For now, though, all we can do is wait.