Front of the house

Look at him working. The way he smiles at every customer. He’s impeccable. But when he goes to his room at the back, at the side of the kitchen, the smile is gone. He sips clear liquor from a teacup, swears under his breath, and watches everything through the small glass in the door. When he sees a new customer, he’s out to greet them, bounding over, showing them to a table. Then as he bows slightly, moving away, he nods to a waiter to bring menus, water. He returns to his room, sits down, stares through the glass, sips at the liquor. No one would ever guess. He seems impeccable.

7 responses to “Front of the house”

  1. Deborah Zinn Avatar
    Deborah Zinn

    Great metaphor!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for reading, Deb. All the best for 2017.

      Like

  2. mmmccaffrey Avatar
    mmmccaffrey

    I think I’ve been to this cafe!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Did you ever go back?

      Like

  3. Reblogged this on Elwood Writers and commented:

    A short piece of fiction from Barry’s blog.

    Like

  4. Helen McDonald Avatar
    Helen McDonald

    Love this impeccable picture. Perfect!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for reading, Helen. Glad you enjoyed it.

      Like

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