The mind is a terrible waste when placed into a gourd of the walking witless. It does not take a great deal of mental acuity to flush the flavor out of a roasted bean, so the mind must find ways to entertain its state of awareness. As loud as the machine may be to get one going with the perfect mediocre cup of coffee for the masses going, the mind can still respite in the conversations others offer aloud. For some, there is only watching, while others offer up enough for listening.

One takes note of citizenry good and bad. Some stand out because of their smile, politeness and eye contact, while others stand out because of their condescension and rudeness — most make up the mushy mashed potato middle. The good, kind and friendly bring pleasure into the moment, but it is the unseemly that make a stronger impression on the psyche, because their foulness is something good wishes to address so others are not infected. Today, bitter bad was followed by apoplectically apologetic good.

Sandy was a decent soul, doing the job paid for in a polite, professional manner.

“How are you today?”

No answer, no eye contact from the middle-aged woman across the counter.

“What can I get for you today?” Sandy asked after the pause made it clear no answer was forthcoming.

Nothing. The two women crowded the counter complaining about a man they both appeared to hold in contempt. (There was the thought that this may be a good man, because these two gave off an ugly, bitter aura, and one should not simply be judged by the friends they keep but the enemies they make as well.)

“Excuse me, can I take your order?” Sandy asked in a louder, directed voice.

The woman closest held up her hand and expressed her palm to request Sandy come to a halt. Sandy was taken aback by the command.

Making hot oral pleasure cups, I looked at the two women and smirked. Sandy was not an aggressive soul, but did not take kindly to poor treatment.

Leaning to one side, Sandy took the order from the next customer. The polite, friendly young girl give her order and offered so many smiles and ‘thank you’s, Sandy was again pleased with the chosen profession, realizing the halter was a aberration.

“Thank you for your courtesy and have a wonderful day,” Sandy praised the vivacious young girl.

“Are you ready?” Sandy asked Halter and her friend, both of whom had paused with looks of constipated shock when the customer behind them was serviced.

“I can’t believe you just did that. That was soooo rude. No, I want to speak to your manager.”

“Of course. Have a seat, I’ll send her over to pacify you as soon as she’s available.”

“No, I want to speak to her now.”

“Next,” Sandy commanded, leaning to one side to serve the next customer. “What can we get for you today?”

“No, no, no! I’m next.”

“Are you ready to order?”

“After I talk with your manager.”

Sandy looked to another employee who gave a counterfeit ‘go-ahead’ nod. “She’ll be ready in a minute. I can take your order while you wait, or I’ll need you to step aside, please.”

The woman would not look at Sandy.

“Next! Hi, what will you have today?” Sandy asked the waiting gentleman.

“No! Fine, I’ll order, but I am talking with your boss.”

The woman, never making eye contact with Sandy, placed her order as a master would speak to a slave whose usefulness has expired.

Sandy was polite, forcing civility, trying not to become infected by the bitterness of the broken women. The order was politely received and graciously concluded by Sandy, who feigned respect and courtesy.

There is no denying that the universe for each of us — what we would call ‘our universe’ — is self-centered by definition. What some fail to comprehend is that the entire universe does not consist of the self. When one thinks the universe is a singular field with self in focus, they believe all else is there to serve their self, creations from within designed to satisfy their retarded egos. It is inevitable universes collide when they believe they exist in the absence of others. Simply put: These two women created so much negativity between then that they created a black hole to suck all of the light and decency out of their universes, stealing and darkening the universes of all around.

Question: What does decency in the eye of the beholder deliver? These beings live off of the negativity they bring into the world, and does one participate, feeding the negativity they so desire? Dare the doppelganger of good do nothing? There is nothing to do, as a black hole sucks all around it out of existence — indulging its creators. They can extinguish in our inner peace.

Peace be with you.

And with you.

Impolite as it may be, the ears of interest listened to the two well groomed momsters harangue those unfortunate enough to be related to them as I continually pushed their drinks to the back of the line. The most grotesque of the diatribes was when the broad shouldered dirty blonde sought the approval the wire framed, raven haired partner for withholding a long promised birthday gift.

From what could be garnered, broad blonde sent the child a card on his birthday every year since he turned 4telling him that she had put money aside for him so that he would receive fabulous wealth up turning 18. She never gave the boy his gift upon turning 18, because he did not ask — sounded like a proud young man not for sale. When the young man’s spouse became ill, he found the humility to ask this woman, his aunt, for the long promised childhood gift. She said yes, but that was months ago. She did not feel comfortable giving him the money because he was not working to foster a relationship with her, as far as she was concerned. Her wiseless raven partner thought it made perfect, acceptable sense. (One must always remember that without evil there is no good. Evil must exist, and this pair shows the multitude of forms the nature takes.)

Another order comes in and the vortex of villainy’s cups are moved to the back of the line. Not passive-aggressive, a simple reordering of priorities. Eventually, they realized there was something amiss — more accurately, they had to pause for the bile within to regenerate so they could continue its spew.

“Excuuuuuuuse me, but we ordered ours before any of these people,” one of the toxic twins in vile denial stated to the dispenser of what needs to be served — moi.

Waited for her to make eye contact, then answered, “Yes, you did,” and began to work on the orders purposefully moved ahead of theirs.

“Well?”

Smiling response...perhaps smirking, but only the eye of the beholder know what is perceived.

“You people are soooooo rude here. Where is the manager?!”

“When she comes out, I’ll have her deliver you your beverages special.”

“We want our drinks, NOW!

“Now? Kind of like the boy wants the gift you promised all of those years?”

She was taken aback by the wondrous analogy offered for the purpose of facilitating conversation.

“You listened to our conversation!?”

“No, sir. There was no way to avoid hearing what you and your wife were discussing, your voice being so deep and the conversation so loud.”

“Sir! You’re sooooo incredibly ruuuude to me and my sister. I can tell you that you’d better have another place to work because you will not be working here after I talk with management about this.”

“While I tremble in fear, why don’t you and your significant other, or other who shares your delusion of significance, and have a seat. I’ll bring you your beverages.”

“And the manager?”

“Yes, and the manager will be reminded your excellency is awaiting her arrival.”

“You’re an ass.”

“Of course. Yes,” I replied, noticing the smirks, chuckles and guffaws from others in the shop forced to listen to the spewing septic bags.

“We don’t have to put up with this,” wire told her sister, but the two began to whisper, sitting at a table in wait.

The charade had gone on long enough. Their drinks were finished and delivered. An arsenal of words was also prepared.

Wishing to avoid a scene, the manager had left, telling Sandy that all was good and for no one to worry, the behaviour of the women had been noted. Alas, it was the kindness of I who offered to deliver the drinks to the table, for my delivery came with extras...and who does not love extras?

“Reese and Rin?” I confirmed, sorting out the delivery. They both avoided eye contact, but my view of the need to give them some of the bitterness they spewed about changed when I viewed them close.

The wiry raven’s eyes were sunk deep into her head, her lips pulled tight, and she appeared extremely nervous. The woman had all of the signs of severe anxiety — something caffeine was not going to help. The broad blonde was so absent from her own presence, it became clear that her show of prosperity and privilege was so that she would not be seen. In the presence of these two wounded wounding wonders, close enough to smell the truth of their being, you realize the black hole had long ago taken all joy from their lives — the strings of obligation were all they had left. Still, there was something to say.

“I’m sorry your visit was so unpleasant. We understand why you would wish to go elsewhere. On a personal note, I would like to say on the young man’s behalf, he was under the impression you were giving him a gift, and it was never a gift, since strings were attached. It sounds like you turned it into an obligation of unquestioning loyalty, subjugation, almost. You were trying to buy him...and it sounds like it failed.”

“That’s bullshit. You’re full of shit. You don’t know what you’re talking about,” broad blonde snapped instantly, causing wiry raven to tremble uncomfortably and nod her head in fear of her sibling.

“Of course it is. You know your heart, but it is my experience, gifts, true gifts, do not come with strings of obligation.”

“If someone is rude to you, do you give them a gift? No!”

“From what I heard, the gift was given every year, you just promised delivery at a later date. I’m sorry, I’m wrong? You lied and made promise of a gift, when what you really meant was to pay for performance, his loyalty to s shrew like you.”

“Excuse me!?”

“The funny thing is you don’t realize you do this because you do not believe you have anything of value within to offer. All you have is material worth; no wisdom; no intelligence; no compassion; no understanding; no passion; no love; just material worth.”

“How ruuude! You’re really starting to tick me off,” wiry yelled, not realizing the scene was hers because I had been whispering so as not to be heard by other guests. “Let’s go!” she shouted, standing from the table.

Going erect to join her significant other, broad blonde whispered, “At least I have that. You’re just a loser breakfast drink maker.”

What response is called for other than a smile...a smirk.

When the black hole left the shop, a relaxing peace seemed to immediately replace the void. It was probably not peace as much as the absence of empty evil’s draining of energy.

You have to feel for the young man who is being tested. Will he sell his soul? Does he feel he must sell his soul? You can only hope that she cannot pull him into the abyss with the sociopathic games she plays...and if he was smart enough to refrain as long as it sounded like he had — waiting until the worst of circumstances before requesting delivery of what had been promised as a gift — he might have the core and nature of good and will fight his corruption.

There are black holes everywhere. We cannot fight them of change them, our best hope is to escape them.