“How about a raspberry cheesecake martini?”
Dave is the co-owner of a small but popular after-work pub on the edge of the business district in town. It’s a busy area with several hotels nearby.
He is wiping down the bar and getting set up for the end-of-day regulars who stop in for a quick refreshment or two before heading home from work.
An attractive middle-aged woman comes in and takes a seat near the end of the bar. She is well-dressed and has a professional appearance. Dave has not seen her before.
“Good afternoon, my name is Dave. Can I get you something?”
“Hi, Dave. My name is Marcia, and yes, you can!”
“What’ll it be?”
“How about a raspberry cheesecake martini?”
Dave pauses for a moment. “I have to tell you, it’s been a long time since I’ve had a request for one of those, but coming right up.”
“Thank you, Dave.”
It doesn’t take long before Dave returns with Marcia’s drink.
Marcia takes a sip. “Perfect! Thank you so much!”
Dave responds with an inquiry, “You’re welcome. I have to ask, are you here in town visiting? I don’t recall seeing you here before.”
“Here on a business trip. I’m a process engineer for Sundown Plastics.”
“Sounds good, Marcia. Enjoy your stay.”
Dave moves on to the other end of the bar to take care of customers starting to come in.
After a while, Dave returns to where Marcia was sitting, but she is gone. Her martini is finished, and there is a very generous tip placed under the glass.
Dave doesn’t think much of it at the moment, but two weeks later, he becomes a little unsettled when a young lady, well dressed, attractive, and very professional looking, comes in and sits at the end of the bar, exactly where Marcia sat.
Dave comes over to her end of the bar. “Good afternoon, I’m Dave. Can I get you something?”
“Hi, Dave. My name is Marcia, and yes, you can!”
Dave starts to think to himself, “Well, that’s a coincidence.”
He then responds, “What’ll it be for you this afternoon?”
Marcia pauses for a moment, and then replies, “How about a raspberry cheesecake martini?”
Dave himself pauses for a moment and then replies, “Coming right up!”
As Dave walks away he’s thinking he hasn’t made one of those martinis in two or three years, and now two in two weeks? He convinces himself it’s just a coincidence.
Dave returns shortly with Marcia’s drink.
Dave then inquires, “Are you in town on business, I don’t recall seeing you here before?”
“Yes, I am. I’m a process engineer for Sundown Plastics. Just here for a day or two for some meetings.”
Dave has somewhat of a blank stare on his face as he replies, “Well, that sounds good. Enjoy your stay.”
Marcia takes a sip of her drink. “Thank you. And the martini is perfect!”
Dave starts to take care of his other customers, confounded at the coincidence of two people coming in with the same name, ordering the same drink, and, to top it off, working for the same company.
Like the customer two weeks ago, she slips away unnoticed and leaves a very generous tip under the martini glass.
He tries to brush it off, but it sticks with him for days.
About a week and a half later, Dave is busy taking care of his customers at the far end of the bar while chatting back and forth with them. He turns to check down the bar to see if anyone needs anything.
He sees a very well-dressed, quite professional-looking, and attractive young lady at the far end of the bar.
Dave mentally notes the similarities to the previous two “Marcias”, but doesn’t let on to his apprehension as he introduces himself.
“Hi, I’m Dave. Can I get you something this afternoon?”
“Hi, Dave. My name is Marcia, and yes, how about a raspberry cheesecake martini?”
Dave is barely able to maintain his composure.
Hesitatingly, “Coming right up.”
As Dave walks back to make the drink, one of his regulars comments, “Dave, you alright? You look like you just saw a ghost.”
“I’m good. I think.”
Dave returns with Marcia’s drink and pauses for a moment before asking, “Are you in town on business?”
“Well, yes, Dave, I am. I am a process engineer for Sundown Plastics. Just here for a day or two for meetings.”
Dave’s mind goes bank as Marcia sips her martini.
“This is perfect, Dave. Thank you!” With a big smile.
Dave is numb at this point. He heads to the restroom to splash cold water on his face to make sure he is awake.
As he returns to the bar area another regular asks if he’s OK.
“Yes. Well, maybe. I think so.”
Once again, he glances towards the end of the bar where Marcia was sitting. She’s gone.
And once again, there is a very generous tip placed under the martini glass.
Dave struggles to compose himself as he goes back to taking care of his customers.
The next day, Dave decides to do some research. He starts by doing an Internet search for Sundown Plastics. Expecting to find the business address in town, he is stunned when nothing turns up.
He broadened the search only to find that Sundown Plastics has never existed, anywhere.
