I realized last night that by thinking I could get up at 4:30 to make the 6am train back to Boston was WAY too ambitious so I confirmed with my boss that it was OK to take the 8am back instead and booked a ticket.
So this morning I haul my tired ass to Penn Station and made my way on the Acela. I immediately secured a seat facing the direction of the train (I get motion sickness very easily and going backwards makes me want to curl up into a ball and hurl). Mind you, I have not had coffee yet. I am doing this new thing where I try to see if I can go the morning without coffee. Usually I can make it until about 10:30. But today I was dying.
After laying out all of my stuff across two seats so no one would try and sit with me, I made my way to the Cafe Car. The Cafe Car doesn't open until the train starts moving but I didn't care. Apparently the guy working behind the counter did because he was passed out on the counter. I'm taking head down, passed out.
"Um....he-hello...."
ZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZzzzzzZzzzzzz
"HellooooOOO."
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZzzzzzzzzzzz
"HI! HELLO!"
He lifted his head up slowly and stared at me through half-lidded eyes.
"Do you have iced coffee?"
"No. No iced coffee."
"Ok. I'll take a regulah hot coffee. No sugah." (My Boston accent goes into over drive when I'm tired.)
Rip Van Winkle then rose from his stool and leisurely secured my coffee.
"Is that it?"
I glanced over to the muffins.
"What kinda muffins ah those?"
"Blueberry."
"That's all you have? Just blueberry?" I'm not a fan of blueberry.
Rip gave me the Care Bear Stare. In fact, he was so still that I thought he'd fallen with his eyes open.
"Yes. Blueberry is the only flavor we have."
"Meh. Ok just the coffee."
After my receipt printed out (I charged $2 coffee) Rip threw it on the counter and went back to passing out.
I'm sure he enjoyed our exchange as much as I did.