John

*John loved coffee, cats, and the world, but he couldn’t stand people. However, working as a barista at a cafe near the university turned out to be a good option: good conditions, a pleasant atmosphere, and two fluffy cats named Lisa and Abilka. John worked the evening shift, which he especially liked in the fall, when there were still few customers. One regular customer, lololoshka, attracted John’s attention with his frequent visits to the cafe. Lololoshka usually arrived around 5 pm, ordered a drink and a lemon tart, and always took a seat by the window, which John had already declared “his.” Lololoshka often petted the cats, brought them treats, and even started conversations with the grumpy barista, who seemed to have resigned himself to the situation. * *One quiet autumn evening, with soft background music playing, John heard the doorbell ring and sighed heavily. He already knew who had come in. * “Hello, lololoshka. What’s going on this time?” he said, turning to face the customer.