Into A BIGGER Land - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Power? Does he have a power? The power to be attractive towards any woman there? He was new, not just in town, but in the country. And he was attractive?

Not much of being mysterious, he wasn´t very outgoing, or had that kind of charisma. However, he had certain looks that all women liked?

All amazons at this place seem to like him, but why? And, is it even true?

Todd was born and raised in this country. A native, if you want to put it someway. And he told him that he had that thing that drove all women crazy for him. He was a foreigner.

Never before he thought he´d be so accepted, in fact, he was hoping he´ll be rejected, stared at and, maybe, receive looks of displease. But it was the other way around.

Martin wanted to check out how this works, therefore, he decided to go meet someone, anyone. Which, as a foreigner and being a stranger to town, it meant that wherever he goes, no one really knows him.

Could the office be a good place to start? He wondered through the day, but he came with a better idea.

What can he get if he´s at the office? Most likely, nothing. Everyone should be friendly towards a coworker, at least that´s the way he thinks things are. So there´s no chance he´ll receive a special treatment if he´s unaware he´s actually receiving one, and not just having someone being polite.

Therefore, he must get out. Get into some place where no one´s forced to treat him as an equal just because he´s a coworker.

He came up with an idea. How about looking for a place where people, even when they should be treated with respect, receive a not-so-nice treat?

Well? How about being a customer? But not just a customer anywhere, people do treat customers nicely. How about he walks into some place with bad reviews? What if he searched online for a place where the employees were rude?

Where they don´t care, at all, about good customer service. A place where they just treat you as someone who didn´t matter if they never came back. A place where they don´t care if you take your business somewhere else because of the bad customer service. A place where employees just work to get paid, and not to provide a good service.

This idea seemed like a good way to test this power. And so, he went online and checked.

He was lucky enough, there was a coffee shop with very bad reviews.

“Terrible service!”

“They didn´t get my order right!!!”

“They didn´t even get my name right!”

“Is this place a joke? Like, where are the cameras? It took me AN HOUR to get my order, and it was a small latte!”

“Can someone add the negative stars option please?”

Those were some awful reviews. The place had half a star. It was a nice place to go. And the best thing is, he can get there by foot! It was like six blocks away.

“Nice!” He´s not looking for being mistreated, he only wants to prove if this is right.

Worst case scenario, he walks out as an unpleased customer. Best case, he just landed on a place where he´s appreciated. Even when the term could be interpreted in a very different way, depending on the lady that looks at him.

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He was off work; he was making his way to this place. And as soon as his eyes landed on the sign, he smiled.

It´s like an adventure, he must admit. Where he´s about to find some sort of treasure! Maybe it´s not money, but this could certainly be a prize!

He entered the shop, as he looked around, he wondered why the place had such bad reviews.

It was a lovely place, he could smell the coffee in the air, with a touch of sugar and cinnamon. It was clean, it had tables in case you want to eat inside, and some others outside.

The tiles were all in their places, no lose pieces. The walls seemed to be painted recently. The windows were clean. And, in the middle end of the room, there was the main desk.

The place where all drinks are made, where all pastries are exhibited. Where you can order.

“I wonder why so many bad reviews. The place looks nice…” he thought to himself, but soon, he could hear the reason why.

“Andrea?” Called the lady at the front desk. She was tall, as everyone seems to be, with curly hair and freckles. Plus, she had a look of apathy on her face.

“That´s me.” Said a woman, who was just as tall, as she walked towards the lady to pick her coffee. “Did you add the extra cream I asked for?” she added.

“I don´t know, yes? Who cares, it´s full of sugar anyways. Besides, there are cream packages somewhere at the serve-yourself-table. If someone remembered to stock them…” She basically told the lady she didn´t care, and didn´t offer any help.

“How rude! I don´t know why I keep coming here!” Complaint the lady as she walked away.

Martin was amazed, if any employee talked to a customer that way, they would surely be fired. They truly don´t care about customers at all.

The question is, will it be different with him?

He approached the counter, with some unease in his walk. Some concern in his mind. Was she going to greet him in a nice way? Was she going to look at him with bored eyes as she pretends she wants to take his order? In fact, will she even pretend?

The lady wasn´t even looking at him, her eyes were at her phone´s screen now. Will she mind it if he steals some of the attention from the phone to take his order?

“Uhm… excuse me?” He had no idea how to talk to her.

She was very tall, if he had to guess, he´d say she´s about 6´4”.

She didn´t even seem to care, did she listen to him? Her eyes were still on her screen. Was it some sort of favor to take his order? It seemed as if he didn´t matter, as if this place didn´t made it out of customer´s money, more as if it was making their profit out of an obnoxious service.

“Lady? Hello? I´d like to order.” He had to insist, he didn´t care about the coffee, what truly mattered was the social experiment he was making.

The lady grunted; it seems she does hear him. She turned off her phone and turned. Her gaze, more like a frown, was directed above him. About a heat above him.

Martin´s heart skipped a beat as she, when finding no one, frowned. Maybe she thought someone was making some joke on her? As displeased as she was, she turned everywhere, and then, when she looked down, she met him.

He was uncomfortable as she, without saying a word, looked at him. This moment seemed to last forever.

Then, something seemed to click on her, and soon, her expression softened. It seems she realized he was not just any customer.

“Oh, I´m sorry I didn´t hear you before. You… you´re not from around, are you?” She approached him as she spoke, bending and coming closer to him.

“No, I´m… not from around. I´m not even from this country.” He said as she placed her shoulders over the counter, now, she was at his eye-level.

“Not from here? Oh, so you´re a foreigner. Interesting…” Without even trying, well, maybe he tried a little, he had casted a spell on her.

This woman acted flirtatious, her eyes locked on him, a huge smile on her face. Swaying her hips behind her.

“What can I get for you, handsome?” Just like that, she went from rude to lovely.

“I… I´m not sure… I´ve never been here.” He started, pretending he was one of those customers who takes forever to order. “Do you mind if I check on the menu?” He said, looking up at the menu on the wall behind her. Waiting for her reaction.

“Of course. Take your time… as long as you need…” she almost sighed, more time for her to look at him.

He wondered if she was actually patient, but then someone else came asking for a straw, and what did she say?

“Can´t you see I´m busy with a customer here?! Just drink straight from the cup, gosh!” That did scare him a little, but as soon as she lied her eyes back on him, they became warm and lovely.

“Sorry, do you know what you want? Maybe I can recommend you something. Most things are sweet, but, if you want, I can offer you something… spicier.” How flattering, she wanted him.

Was that good? To seduce all women he meets? Maybe he should considerate that, consider that all women may want to flirt with him.

“Well…” he started, but he didn´t have a chance to answer.

Martin was not aware, but there was not just this lady at the coffee shop. In fact, at the back of the place, there was someone else. Someone who just came back, and found him taking over the attention of the lady.

A coworker of hers, a man. A man who noticed the way she´s looking at him, who heard how she´s talking to him. Who noticed she´s flirting with him. Who can tell he´s captivating her. A man who hates that, and now, hates him.

“Hey, Kristy! I think it´s time for your break.” He said as he walked into the counter.

“What? My break? But my break´s in…” the lady, who´s name is Kristy, started, she was sure her brake was in about an hour or so.

“No worries, I got you. Remember, I´m the assistant manager.” The guy said. “Now get going, I´ll help this guy with his order.”

“Are you sure?” Kristy asked.

“Totally, now get going. I got it.” And then, as Kristy was forced to leave, he turned at Martin, with some threatening eyes.

Todd also said one thing, men here don´t like foreigners since they all hate it when they come and seduce all women.

Maybe he had a crush on Kristy? Maybe they were a couple? Martin wasn´t trying to seduce her or anything, this was more like an investigation. But at least he could prove the other side of his research. Men will hate him.

“I was thinking…” Martin started, but was abruptly interrupted by this guy.

“Beat it.” The guy said. He was taller than Kristy, about 6´8”, and he seemed as the kind of man who works out. Maybe he´s not incredibly muscular, but he seems jacked.

“Excuse me?” He said.

“You heard me, shorty. Get the hell out of my store. We do not offer service to dudes who try and flirt with the ladies around here. So walk to the door, open it, and leave.” He said.

“That´s… that´s rude man! I was just…” he complaint, but he was shut again.

slam!

Suddenly, the guy slammed his hand against the counter top. Martin jumped back out of the impression; the sound was so loud, surely everyone at the shot heard it. The look on his face became sterner, his teeth tightened.

“I´m sorry, this is not a suggestion. It´s an order. Now, you can walk out of here, of I can throw you out the door. Your choice. But, please! Make me kick you out.” Was he crazy?

Was jealousy this strong? This guy seemed insane! Was he actually going to kick him out only because the lady was treating him nicely? He´d literally throw him out the door.

Martin came here in the looks of answers, and now, he found himself in some trouble.

There´s a huge issue here, an issue for him. Now, he´s about to get his ass kicked for some sort of jealous brute!

Is there a way out of this? Does he have to give up and walk away?