Naomi, partially hidden behind a scrap of morning newspaper in the corner of a local coffee shop, occasionally looked thoughtfully at the passers-by outside. The clientele was very wealthy at this time of day and included a large number of pretty, well-dressed ladies, probably on their way to work. Smiling – in no particular direction at first but with virtually no intention of hiding her glee should her gaze meet that of a worthy target – Naomi noticed her friend Chuck just outside the door, entering with a typically thoughtful frown. and an awkward gait. she was wearing a jacket of a rather unusual type, and Naomi figured it must have been purchased elsewhere, as it was far too thick for the kind of weather both of them were accustomed to. With a strange mixture of confidence and a certain shyness. Unsteady, Chuck walked through the door, approached the cashier and – his voice seeming to echo distantly from a space far removed from the speaker, listener or environment – ​​asked, “Forgive me, would you do you have time? " The employee, looking slightly and inexplicably flustered, as if Chuck's simple question had broken some sort of unspoken routine and jolted him awake with his momentary bewilderment, responded, "Um, excuse me?" "Oh," she started again, her voice finally finding its way into the cafe, "what time is it?" As the clerk turned to check, Chuck's eyes followed him and she noticed for the first time the large clock hung silently behind the counter; with an expression of surprise and a hint of embarrassment, she excused herself, ordered her cup of coffee and sat at a table near the counter to wait for Nao. ...... middle of paper ...... on him at this very moment and she was very eager to understand everything, "it's really morning I guess your day has just started and you are. prepare for a full day of work. How are things going these days? “Oh, as usual. My boss is a bit of an idiot, but I do what I'm told. We had an important project to do. finishing this week, so I've been a little stressed." Turning back to her friend, Naomi noticed an indecipherable mix of sadness, compassion and perhaps the slightest hint of mockery on Chuck's face, which afterward. a fleeting moment, gave way again to a simple conviviality, a smile. Chuck's coffee had been called by then, and after retrieving it, she wished her friend a good day before gesturing to a nearby couch, where she would remain, eyes intently focused on an aging tome held open in her hands , long after Naomi himself had continued. about the day.