Maggie's Secret.

Danny zips down the road in his silver firebird. He zooms right into a front parking place. He always gets a front parking place because this place is dead. It’s 12:06 in the morning. Only a few zombie truck drivers are awake this time of night in a little town called Skeleton, West Virginia, on the outskirts of Charleston.

The whole town is dark. The only lights shining are from the gigantic sign that reads: “The Coffee and Pancake House of Charleston.” However, the coffee house isn’t even in Charleston city limits. Underneath it the florescent red words are blinking Open 24/7 with a blue florescent border that says constant.

Danny sees her first. She is sitting at a booth right in front of his car. She is wearing a tight red dress with no sleeves. Her long black hair is hanging down her back. She looks stunning. She is out of place. She doesn’t belong in a coffee shop in West Virginia at midnight. She looks as if she could be mistaken for a Hollywood starlet who should be at a famous Night Club. Candy wouldn’t know anything about that. She’s never been west of Indiana.

Her full attention focuses on Danny when he walks in the door. She is holding a cup of coffee with both hands as her eyes stay right on Danny. She is drinking her favorite coffee. Hazelnut and Vanilla. She loads it with sugar and crème.
Danny sits down next to her as the waitress Maggie brings a plate of French toast and maple syrup to Candy. Danny wonders how the hell can she eat soo much and stay so skinny.

Maggie looks instantly at Danny and she says, “It is almost ready.”
Danny takes a quick glance around the dining room to double check that the room was empty. Maggie wasn’t talking about Danny’s usual cup of coffee. She was talking about the secret. One that Candy doesn’t know.

This is a special secret held between Danny and Maggie.

Danny hopes to tell his Candy about it [the secret] soon.

Candy eats her French toast. She is happy. She says, “fat girl gotta eat.”

Danny laughs on the inside. He never laughs aloud. He gives a quick sly smile and a wink to Candy.

Danny thinks it is funny when she says this because she is so thin. She eats anything. Eating isn't what Candy is happy about. Candy is happy to be there at midnight with Danny. She thinks Danny is her soul mate. She just thinks Danny doesn’t realize it yet. She thinks it is poetic. Danny and Candy. Candy and Danny. Isn't that dandy.

Candy assumes that Maggie meant “the coffee” when she said, “it is almost ready.”
Doesn’t Candy realize coffee is always ready at the coffee house? Candy is smart when she wants to be. But she is more of an idealistic romantic. She isn’t concerned about being smart and knowledgeable. Candy is interesting in things like humanity, doing the right thing, and making the world a better place. She reads Carl Rogers and watches documentaries on Gandhi and Mother Teresa for fun.

Maggie brings Danny his usual cup of black coffee. Danny doesn't like sugar or milk. He thinks it takes away from the tast of coffee. He drinks coffee for the taste of coffee, which he loves.

Discover what Maggie and Danny’s secret is in the next issue of coffee. Please return to the same coffee blog often for updates to this story. Find out soon what coffee does to Danny. Discover his secret powers!