Annie Mitchell poured hot coffee into old Mister Collin's empty cup. She grinned as he patted her hand.

"You're a good girl, Annie, and make a good cup-o-brew."

"And you're a smooth talker, Sid."

He chuckled as she filled up Harry's cup. "When's a pretty girl like you gonna get yourself hooked?"

Annie guffawed. "When it snows in the Simpson."

He flapped his hand at her. "Ah, Annie, you'll get frozen crisp if that happens, and then break in half if a man came anywhere near you."

"Well maybe I don't want any man coming near me. That is... except for you two." She grinned. "Maybe if I was frozen crisp I'd look all crazed like you guys."

Harry chuckled. "What do you mean crazed? Are you saying we're old or insane?"

"Just got a lot of laugh lines haven't you and a little bit of dementia every now and then."

They laughed and shook their heads. "Don't worry, Puss, your turn's coming."

*

The café was moderately busy today. It came and went in waves, it seemed. Some days there was hardly a soul in the place and at others they were lined up outside the door. The regulars like Sid Collins, Harry Butler and their cronies, hated the busy days. They said the noise interrupted their concentration as they played five hundred and pontoon.

Annie liked days like this; just enough customers to keep her constantly moving between serving and clearing, with the occasional pause to have a chat or fill a container with sugar sachets.

"Order up!"

Annie nodded to Gus as he put the platter of fish and salad on the servery. She quickly cleared a plate and cup from an empty table, and then put the coffee pot back on the heat. Grabbing the meal she glanced at it, and then said, "You got any lemon for the fish, Gus?"

The big man wiped his brow with a towel, which lay over his shoulder, grabbed a lemon and cut it into wedges. "Sorry, Puss. Wasn't thinking."

She put the plate back on the servery, grinned, and then nudged her head toward the burly business man at the end of the counter as she whispered, "I wouldn't have cared except it's for Mal. You know how he likes to complain."

Gus chuckled and wiped his forehead again as he followed Annie's gaze. "It wouldn't matter how good the food was, that one would still complain. I can't tell you the amount of times Roobs has shut him down but, the bastard still comes back."

Annie laughed, rolled her eyes and picked up the plate in one hand and grabbed the coffee pot in the other. She set the meal down in front of Mal and topped up his mug. He grunted. Annie ignored him. Some people were just plain rude and miserable.

*

She put the pot back on the heat and looked out at the busy street. A tall, awkward-looking man caught her eye. His jeans were too short for his long legs. He was wearing different-coloured socks and a faded blue jumper. It was a hot day. Too hot for a jumper.

Annie watched him study the front of the café through his heavy black-framed glasses. As he shuffled along the kerb she had a sudden fear that he might throw himself in front of a passing car. He pushed down his already oil flattened black hair and took a step.

When he moved forward, with other pedestrians, as a gap opened in the traffic, Annie released her breath. He shot across the street with his head lowered, and stopped outside the door of the café. After a second, he pushed the door opened, closed it, opened it again, and then slid inside.

The coffee pot hissed.

"Shit." Annie took it off the heat, changed the filter, put another in its place, filled it with coffee grounds, and then poured water into the opening at the top to make a fresh pot.

*

Ruby tapped Annie on the shoulder. "Looks like we've got another weirdo! I've never understood why I don't change the sign outside to read, Halfway House for the Mentally Unstable."

Annie glanced up and frowned. Ruby pointed towards the tables so Annie followed the direction indicated with her eyes to see the man she had been watching. He was sitting in the booth fiddling with his fingers. "He might not be." She shrugged and tweaked her mouth a fraction adding, "A weirdo."

Ruby shook her head. "You always got to go against me. You want to make a bet this time? See if he orders coffee or asks for an alfoil hat."

"If we made bets you'd have cleaned me out by now," Annie said with a smirk. "I just like to give people the benefit of the doubt."

"You know, Annie, I'm thinking of dividing the place in two." Ruby swished her hand like a wand. "Put a little fence down the middle with a sign saying, Reserved for Annie's Misfits."

Feigning shock Annie said, "You've not even spoken to him, Ruby. He might be completely normal."

"Well, you go serve him, and then come back and tell me I'm right," Ruby said as she tapped the side of her nose.

Shoulders back, eyes bright, Annie picked up her order book. "Hello. Welcome to Ruby's. What can I get you?" She beamed as she pulled her pencil from her apron and waited for the man to lift his head from the menu. His green eyes met hers briefly through the lenses of his glasses. His leg began to shake.

"Coffee, black, and a steak sandwich."

Annie's grin broadened. "Do you want sauce? We have tomato, barbecue, sweet chilli and black."

He nodded down at the table. "Barbecue."

"Won't be long, you want to pay now or later?"

He fumbled in his pocket, pulled out a wallet, and then accidently dropped it on the floor under the table. Because of his height he found it difficult to manipulate his body in the tight space to reach it.

"I'll get it." Annie crouched down to get the wallet. Her fingers brushed the back of his hand.

He pulled away abruptly, banged his elbow on the table and quickly sat upright.

"Are you all right, sir? I'm Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Annie placed the wallet in front of him and noticed his leg shake faster.

His head jerked as he handed her twenty dollars.

"Well..?" Ruby raised her eyebrows at Annie as she rang up the money in the till.

"I would say he has some issues. Could just be very shy, but has amazing green eyes under those ugly glasses."

Ruby wagged her finger and swayed her ample hips as she sidled away. "Told you."

Annie shook her head and grinned. She lifted the coffee pot, and then headed back to the new customer.

"Here's your change." She smiled down at him and raised her eyebrows a little because he didn't look at her as she filled his coffee cup. "Coffee's refillable so yell out if you want more."

He nodded but didn't speak. Annie went to the next table and topped up their cups before she headed back to the counter.

Annie seems like a lovely girl.

The Simpson that Annie refers to is an Australian desert. Our 4th largest.

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