The Coffee Is Still Hot
He stopped for coffee at a diner that never asks you to leave. Some things stay warm longer than they should.
I only stopped for coffee.
I wasn’t tired, and I wasn’t low on fuel, but the lights were on and the parking lot was empty in a way that made pulling in feel easier
than continuing past it.
Coffee?
Just coffee.
The mug was already warm when she set it down.
Not fresh, not steaming, just warm all the way through, like it had been holding heat longer than it should.
It’s hot.
It should be.
I took a sip. The taste was thin and old, but the temperature never changed.
I waited for it to cool while I sat there, watching the reflection of the lights tremble slightly on the surface.
Does it ever cool down?
Not while you’re drinking it.
There was another man in a booth near the door.
He hadn’t moved since I came in, his coat still on, his hands resting on the table like he’d paused in the middle of something.
Has he been here long?
Long enough.
A few minutes passed, or at least I think they did. The man stood and walked toward the door without looking back.
When it closed behind him, the bell didn’t ring.
Did he pay?
He finished.
She lifted the pot and poured more coffee into my mug. I hadn’t set it down, and I was sure it had been full already.
I didn’t ask for more.
You’re still here.
I wrapped my hands tighter around the mug.
The warmth hadn’t faded at all, and I realized I couldn’t remember taking the last sip, only the feeling of holding it.
How long have I been here?
Long enough.
I pushed the mug slightly away from me, just to see what would happen. The waitress didn’t move, but the pot was already in her hand.
I think I’m done.
Most people say that.
I stood up. My legs felt fine, steady even, but the room didn’t react the way it should have. The lights didn’t shift.
The air didn’t change. It was like nothing had noticed.
I’m leaving.
Of course.
She slid the mug back toward me before I could step away. The coffee inside was untouched, the surface perfectly still.
I didn’t drink that.
You will.
I looked at the door, then back at the cup. For a moment, I couldn’t remember which one I’d been reaching for.
The coffee was still hot.