Another Post, Another Weirdo (not me this time)

I always say I don't want this to turn into a workblog, with endless tales of strange folks coming through the Cafe and their wackiness... but the other night we had a genuinely entertaining crazy person come in for a change.

I was wiping something down behind the counter, or setting another batch of coffee adrip, or possibly slacking off and reading Confederacy of Dunces... it doesn't really matter and should suffice to say that I was distracted enough not to notice the guy at first. So I don't know how long he was standing there. He wasn't actually at the counter (not that I'm being defensive about not noticing him, why are you calling me defensive?) so much as a yard or two back from it, just standing there.

I went over to the register and gave him my best "can I help you?" face. He stood there for a few seconds before announcing, "Oh, I just wanted to introduce myself."

"Oh... OK."

"My name is Shef'!"

"What was that?"

"Shef'!"

"Chef?"

"Shef', John Shaf'"

"Oh really? I hear tell that you're one baaaad mother--"

To my slight chagrin, nobody was quick enough to demand that I shut my mouth. He headed out and introduced himself as "John Shaf'" to a table of people.

"He's a complicated man, and nobody understands him but his woman," I explained to their bewildered looks.

"John Shaf'!"

As he walked out the door I couldn't resist one parting shot: "Hey! Hey Shaft!" He turned around. "Hey Shaft, where you going?"

"I'm goin' to the liquor store!"
- posted by Bob @ 2:14 AM