The Rainboots

[One time when we were in London when I was a kid, it was raining and I was grumpy because of the rain when we came out of the Starbucks from breakfast. There was a woman across the street who was wearing an amazingly fashionable outfit, complete with a blazer and skirt. And rainboots. The image of this professional woman wearing her rainboots on her walk to work stuck with me for years, and I've finally written it down.] 

Bryant couldn’t stop staring at her rainboots.

They came halfway up her leg, sitting a few inches below her knee. They had a green zig-zagging design on their gray background, and fit snuggly against her leg.

But it wasn’t really the rainboots themselves that caused Bryant to be unable to look away.

It was more the fact that she was wearing a professional blazer, skirt, and tights above the rainboots.

She shifted from one foot to the other as she stood in line to get her morning coffee, pulling out a book from her sachel.

Bryant chuckled to himself. Nearly everyone else in line – and all around the coffee shop – were on their phones.

She was the only odd ball with a book in line.

He leaned over in his chair to try and catch the title of her book, knocking over his bottled water in the process.

She looked up from her book at the sound of the bottle hitting the floor, her eyes searching for the source of the sound.

She caught sight of Bryant leaning down to pick up the bottle, gaining his eye contact when he straightened.

They looked at each other for a moment before she broke into a smile. Bryant sighed softly and smiled back.

“Next. Next!”

She started, realizing the barista was yelling at her. Quickly, she walked up to the counter.

Bryant strained to listen to her conversation, but the shop was far too crowded for him to hear.

However, he saw the barista’s face change from the robotic, fake half smile to a genuine grin as she said something Bryant couldn’t hear. The barista let out a loud, robust laugh, causing his whole body to shake. While Bryant still couldn’t hear, he smiled at the proud look on her face from making the barista laugh.

She walked to the pickup counter, engrossed in her book once again, the smile still on her lips.

“Grande iced coffee with caramel for Sarah.”

Her smile brightened as she slipped her book into her bag, reaching for the drink.

Sarah.

A good name.

She slowed down as she passed Bryant, smiling again before raising her cup in a toast and nodding to him, taking a large gulp.

He laughed, raising his own cup back at her.

She pulled her raincoat around her tightly as she stepped outside into the rain, splashing her feet playfully in a puddle before walking away and onto her day.