Sugar & Llamas

Tom tried to open a packet of sugar for his coffee. Struggling. All thumbs. It ripped and spilt all over the café table. Nadia laughed.

She picked up the sugar packet and tore it, “Here you go…”

“Thanks,” he took it and adjusted his glasses.

“If you weren't a guest, what were you doing at the hotel?” he said.

“Guess,” Nadia said playfully.

“Well… I suppose you are a health inspector,” he said.

“Actually I’m in a hotelier course – planning on opening my own hotel one day,” she said.

“Ain’t that dandy…” he smiled.

He sipped his coffee and spilt a bit on his trousers. Nadia smiled. He was a mess.

“What do you do for a living?” She asked.

“For a living… Hmmm… I’m a secret agent!” He said loudly. A few patrons looked over. Nadia looked around. He got loud.

“Not so secret since you are telling me,” she said.

“That is because I am here to kill you,” he made a gun with his hand and pretended to fire, "Ka-pow..."

Nadia flinched. Guns. They weren’t funny. But she composed herself.

“Sorry…” he noticed her discomfort.

“I work with the police in communications. Basically the guy in the chair…” He said.

“Oh that’s impressive,” she said.

The rest of the conversation was mostly small talk. Awkwardness. And a joke about llamas.

“You ever seen a llama do stand-up? They’re hilarious… but only when they alpaca-punchline,” he said.

Nadia smiled and tried not to make the face. They exchanged numbers, but Nadia didn’t feel like seeing him again.