THE WEEKS PASSED quickly after the Young Manager’s introduction to the pig pen, and while he saw the Barista often enough, there was never quite time to talk. Either he was too busy or the Barista was. But he did take Kate up on her offer of coffee, and he submitted to David’s punishing training regime at the basement gym.
Office life was good. The new way of thinking was working, and morale was soaring. They were holding an impromptu office party on the roof garden later that very evening, to celebrate a particularly big deal as well as to make the most of the view while the warm evenings lasted. The Young Manager had so much to thank the Barista for, and he was determined to invite him along to that evening’s event as his guest of honour. But when he approached the Courtyard Coffee Shack, he was surprised to see a smiley twentysomething woman standing behind the counter instead.
“Hi,” said the Young Manager, “I was looking for the usual guy.”
The woman’s smile widened. “He’s away for a bit, seeing to his other ventures,” she explained.
“Other ventures?” asked the Young Manager, surprised. “So, does he own more than one coffee stand?”
The woman burst out laughing. “You don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?” asked the Young Manager, completely confused.
“Um, that he owns the building?” said the woman. “Not just this one, either.”
She waved a hand about airily, and a cluster of silver bangles jangled loudly on her wrist. “There’s other stuff too, but you kind of lose count after a while.”
“I…I didn’t realise!” stuttered the Young Manager. “I’d just assumed he had this stand!” he blurted out, still in shock. “My God!”
“He converted this whole place. Not bad for the son of a pig farmer is it?” the woman at the counter added with a smile. “Over the years he’s been involved in all sorts of things, but whatever he’s done, he’s always believed in the power of bringing people together, in supporting one another to create change. That’s why it’s called the Collective. I also think he kind of liked the idea of an old power station too. Generating a new energy…a new way of thinking…empowering people.”
The Young Manager didn’t know what to say or do. He felt like such an idiot.
He had been looking at the Barista through the wrong frame the whole time. He’d labelled him as just an old barista, despite the fact that this incredible man had fired him up with the best advice he’d ever been given. He’d wasted so much time—if only he’d opened his eyes sooner and recognised what he really needed. While the Young Manager had busied himself wrestling pigs, too caught up to even get his own morning coffee, he’d missed the golden nugget that had been waiting in plain sight all along.
“I can see by your face that this is all a bit of a shock,” said the woman, clearly amused. She reached out to shake his hand. “I’m his granddaughter. I look after this place when he’s elsewhere. He keeps the stand as a sort of informal advice booth for anyone who needs it. Technically, he’s retired. You might want to tell him that next time you see him, because he doesn’t seem to listen to me!”
“I came down to tell him about some work thing he helped me with actually,” said the Young Manager, still shaken by this new discovery.
“The Pig Pen, right?” asked the young woman. “Great stuff. It’s all about relationships really, isn’t it? Your relationship with yourself and your thoughts, your relationships with others and their behaviour. It kind of transforms how you view the world around you. It certainly worked wonders on my boyfriend problem. Well, ex-boyfriend. Like I say, it worked wonders,” she grinned.
The Young Manager grinned back. “Mine was more of a work thing,” he said.
“Anyway, don’t worry. He’ll be back here at some point soon,” said the Barista’s granddaughter. “He comes and goes. I think he enjoys the mysterious-business-guru vibe. I’ll tell him you were looking for him. He’ll want to catch up. He always does. He’s always keen to know when someone has gotten out of the pig pen and created the change they need.” She grinned again. “Now, how about a coffee? According to my grandad, I make the second-best brew in the city.”
[The End]