Surrender 01 - Surrender

several times a day. You need to be more observant, and take the time to actually notice the pilots who stop in frequently. Look at their name tags so you’ll remember them easier, and be sure to give them that employee discount! Follow my lead. I go out of my way to take note of every employee name tag I see. Don’t let these thick glasses confuse you for a blind man!” Just as Henry was finishing his statement, he nearly tripped over his own desk.
    Monica nearly erupted in laughter, thinking to herself that he was right about one thing, his glasses were certainly thick. He was also wrong about two things. He was blind and Captain Gallo only came in once a day — in the early morning. Not wanting to rock the boat, Monica reluctantly agreed with Henry’s statements.
    “Is that all, Henry?”
    “Yes. Now go man the register. The line is growing and Amy can’t do it by herself.”
    Monica turned to walk out of the office. “Monica, remember...” Monica stopped as she knew what he was going to say. “…Republic Coffee is happiness in a cup.”
    Completely disgusted with this company droid, Monica left the office to return to work, though she did it with a sinking feeling in her heart.
    Upon her return she found herself in a daze as she wiped the tables and straightened up the boxes of tea bags. Her co-worker, Amy, was working behind the counter preparing a passenger’s coffee. Amy had been working for the coffee shop for about a month and she and Monica quickly became friends. Amy finished ringing up the passenger, then looked over at Monica with a defeated look on her face.
    “Why did you let Captain Gallo get to you?” asked Amy.
    “I'm actually not quite sure,” Monica answered while playing back all of the interactions they’d had in the last three months. “I guess it’s because he looks so professional and I always seem to get a bit tongue tied around him. I mean, have you looked in his eyes? I just wish something other than sarcasm and insults were coming out of his full lips, Monica said with a wink, attempting to make light of the confrontation.”
    “Ha! Surprise, surprise, Captain gorgeous is a full-of-himself womanizer. A Greek god of a man who sounds like a moron when he speaks, ruining all of that other stuff… you know the hot part. If we could just silence him and tie him to a chair, we’d get a lot more female customers and then not have to deal with all the guys who come in here expecting a hot cup of coffee and a quickie on one of the tables.” Amy responded as she began steaming milk for the customer Monica had just served.
    “It's not just what Gallo was spouting. I’m used to him,” she stated as got back to the conversation. “It's just that I also found out this morning that I have to find a new place to live.”
    “Don’t you like your apartment?”
    “No, I'm being evicted in less than two days,” Monica answered as her green eyes began to well with tears.
    “What? How can that be?” Amy gasped, now standing with shock and sympathy in her expression.
    “I was in between jobs and fell behind on my rent.”
    “Well, that sucks that they wouldn't work with you.”
    Monica slowly carried a basket of dirty dishes into the kitchen. “I know, but it is what it is.”
    Amy silently shook her head in disbelief. They were busy the rest of the afternoon, thankfully, so Monica didn’t have much time to stress about her living conditions or her crappy job. That meant Amy also didn’t get a chance to ask any more questions for Monica to try and answer. The reality was that she had zero clue what she was going to do next.

    ***

    Monica’s cab pulled up in front of the apartment building after her never-ending day. She dragged herself from the taxi and walked into the lobby. She normally took the elevator as by the end of the day her feet were trashed from standing for so many hours straight, but since her day had already been as horrible as it could be, the fates had to continue working against her. A large sign was taped to the metal doors that read “out of order.”
    Monica proceeded up the stairs with her giant purse in tow. As she was about to reach her floor she began digging for her keys. Good coordination skills weren’t something Monica possessed — add a tired mind, and in true fashion the strap slipped from her shoulder. The entire contents of her purse spilling out onto the stairs.
    The sound of keys, makeup, and coins could be heard all the way to the