Some words from the story's author, Beth Shorten... (Spoilers from now on in!)

BEATLES FAN FICTION DIRECTORY: When did you write The Coffee House, and what gave you the idea for the story?

BETH SHORTEN: I wish I had some noble answer to this, but I don't. As far as I can recall (and I wrote this several years ago), Susan was just starting Rooftop Sessions and needed someone to do some writing. She knew I'd done fan fiction before, so I was "pressed" into service. At that time, I believe, Rooftop was part of the Rational Magic website, and I was under the impression (incorrectly) that the piece had to have a supernatural theme to it. So that is the genesis of that. The story itself, just came to me. Which is what I can say of anything really good that I've written. When I get an idea that is really good, the story just seems to write itself (and usually goes very quickly).

BFFD: The stories genre changes part way through from a kind of romance (or so one might suspect) to a more supernatural story. Was that always your intention or something that happened as you wrote it?

BS: No romance was intended. As I said before, it was supposed to be supernatural, but hopefully not overtly so.

BFFD: Is the Coffee House a metaphor for anything?

BS: The Coffee House is kind of like the Way Station in the movie Heaven Can Wait -- it's the place you go before you go. Lynn ends up there because of her emotional state -- or just by a freak accident in time/space/whatever.

BFFD: Is there anything else you would like to add?

BS: Thanks for "finding" me and asking me to be your story of the month. 2005 has been a really rough year thus far for me and my family so I can use all the good karma I can get! Beth :-)

 

An extract from The Coffee House...

A small coffee shop appeared in the distance. On closer inspection she saw that the sign in the front window said "OPEN." That was all the invitation Lynn needed. She pushed open the door. It was dark and deserted except for three or four people. The air had an odor. It wasn’t bad, just stale. Probably smoke, she thought as she noticed a man in a corner booth puffing away. At the only other occupied table, a couple sat in deep conversation, not even looking her way when she entered.

"You have a ladies’ room?" she asked the man at the counter. He was large, not only tall but bulky as well. He reminded her a bit of Herman Munster. In this light his complexion did seem a little gray/green.

He looked at her oddly, but said nothing. He just stared with dark eyes

"I need a bathroom and a cup of coffee, in that order," she said, trying to sound confident but not unreasonable. The way he was looking at her, she felt as if he could zap her out of existence with his glaring.

"You don’t belong here." His voice was deep, as she had suspected.

"Look, I just want a cup of coffee and a bathroom.…"

"Let her stay," said the man in the corner booth, blowing a smoke ring up to the ceiling.

"She doesn’t belong here," the counterman repeated.

"Let’s say she’s with me."