Page 19 - MAJALAH MATA EDISI 39 _Neat

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"This Felt Fast, didn't it?"
December days were like soggy socks for Lim, It was like dancing on roller skates blindfolded,
sticking to him and leaving him feeling cold and orders flying past his ears like runaway pigeons
damp. His insurance job, once shiny and and milk frothing like a grumpy cat in a bath. But
promising like a new bike, now felt rusty and he stuck with it, pouring coffee, wiping tables, and
creaky, its chrome dulled by the daily grind. His trying to draw latte art that looked more like
old classmates, all shiny and successful like squiggly worms than graceful swans.
polished trophies, made him feel small and lost, At the end of the day, when the coffee shop
like a mismatched sock in a clean drawer. He was quiet and the lights were low, Lim and Kate
craved a change, a splash of color in his gray sat together, sharing stories and sips of tea. He
world. poured out his heart, all the envy and the feeling
Then, like a warm fire on a snowy night, he of being left behind. He felt like a wilted flower,
stumbled upon a tiny coffee shop. It smelled of while everyone else was blooming bright and
happy sighs and strong coffee, and there was beautiful.
Kate, the barista, with eyes like melted chocolate Kate listened, her eyes gentle and wise like a
and a smile that could make a snowman blush. grandma's hug. She didn't talk about fancy jobs or
Lim wanted to talk to her, to bridge the gap big money. She talked about the little things, the
between his boring routine and her sparkling friends you laugh with until your stomach hurts,
world. He opened his mouth, but the words got the warmth of a cup in your hands on a cold day,
tangled in his tongue, like shoelaces in a knot. He the magic in the ordinary moments that make up
ended up blurting out something about insurance, life. She showed Lim that life wasn't just about
feeling stupid and clumsy like a baby trying to use winning, but about the connections you make, the
a spoon. smiles you share, the beauty in the everyday
things that most people miss.
Oh, the mess that followed! Coffee, hot and
bubbly like a grumpy dragon, went flying, As the year sputtered out its last flame, Lim
walked into the new one with Kate's words tucked
drenching Kate's hand and turning her fancy latte
into a watery puddle. Lim felt like a kicked puppy, in his heart, like a secret treasure map. The world
looked different now, brighter, like a freshly
his ears drooping and tail tucked between his
legs. But Kate, instead of getting angry, just painted canvas. His boring job held a spark, his
days hummed with a quiet joy. And Lim, grateful
laughed, a sound like wind chimes tinkling in the
breeze. for the lesson learned in spilled coffee and shared
laughter, held his head high, ready to sip the
To make up for the disaster, Lim offered to
sweet and bitter brew of life, one day at a time,
help. He put on an apron, big and floppy like a knowing that even the smallest moments could
clown's costume, and tried to be a barista.
hold the biggest magic.

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