บท 546: Merry Cafe

"We appreciate your patronage!" I called out, flashing my biggest, shiniest smile. "We hope to see you again soon."

The young couple by the entrance turned back briefly with beaming faces, waving their mittens to a hearty farewell.

Any other day, and that would have been the last of our interaction as per service procedure… but today… I felt a hard nudge from my behind.

My smile twitched. 

"And be sure to have a Merry Christmas!" 

Too late. Those customers had already long gone, doomed forever now to a despair-ridden fate without my best wishes to accompany them in their life. 

Truly… what a tragedy. 

How could I've ever let this happen? I'm a failure of a cafe barista! Oh, to all the valiant customer service workers of the world - I've let you down.