3 months. That’s the time that already passed since my mother closed her one-lifetime small but proud business. And that was a little cafeteria in Spain, called ‘Café Café’. I know it wasn’t the best name in history, but at least was -twice- more descriptive than other big chains jajaja
My childhood’s memories are built most of them from moments in the cafeteria. When I finished class I brought my friends to my mom’s cafeteria to have some snacks made by my mother or even lunch when I skipped off -first making sure mom was outside stocking.
But I wasn’t the only having childhood memories there, my siblins were first.
Not only the cafeteria keeps old memories to me, the actual store has a previous history related to my family.
Before it became a cafeteria, back to the 1950s it was a laundry. One of the last little businesses my intrepid grandma started and run herself. That’s a long story though that needs another post.
But the store relation with my family its not purely about business, its way more than that. Behind that metallic blind there is a bar that has been testimony of many stories.
Café Café few years ago -with yellow front sign
We have to go back to the 1970s. By that time my mom was studying Law. At that time she was part-time studying and running her own cafeteria to pay her studies. She hit the 4th year of college and a life-changing decision had to be made: she had to decide between study her last year of Law school in Barcelona or move to Madrid, where job opportunities as a lawyer were more promising.
Back then a man with good presence, with black hair and green eyes, was a regular client. An expresso drinker. Every time he went for his cup of coffee he will bother my mom with long talks.
Once, one of my mother’s friend came to accompany her for the whole day at the café. They were chatting on the breaks, until it hit the afternoon and was time to go back home. The man showed up, had his coffee and overheard the conversation. He offered himself to take them to mom’s home.
Since that day, they’ve become inseparable, and raised a family I’m very happy and proud -you have no idea how much- to say I’m part of.
Then about 3 years ago I landed in Taiwan and my first ever Taiwanese movie to watch was 『等一個人咖啡』(Cafe. Waiting. Love), is it casualty or…what?! Kind of scary.
And if fiction couldn’t overcome fiction, what if I tell you the setting of the movie is a real cafeteria. Cool eh?
I know the story its kind of girly but I can’t help. That comes from my father side. Blame my mother for that, and also to fall for a guy who showed up in such a key career moment to blow away a woman’s bright future as a Lawyer
I love them and love Café Café for being the ‘cupido’.
