Exclusive for The Story Times ~
The Magic Pumpkin Café ~ Meet the Owner

"So, after my stint as a Fairy Godmother ended so poorly, I went to visit Jiminy Cricket," Bobbie told the boy. "I wasn't up for being a regular fairy - the adaption to being so small is very jarring to the body, and at my age...well, you get the idea. I could have tried my hand at being an evil enchantress - I know more than I'd like to admit about dark magic - but honestly, I like being good. It makes me happy. And it's a lot more satisfying! Just because that last ungrateful girl couldn't handle a midnight curfew and blamed me for losing her shoe, didn't mean it was time to turn in my wand. I have plenty of good magic left to share with the world. One bad apple doesn't spoil the bunch. Unless you're Snow White, of course."

The boy laughed, writing down everything she said in his scribbling shorthand. "But why Jiminy Cricket?" he asked. "Why go to him?"

"Well, he's a conscience," she said. "He helps people see the truth, and make good and selfless decisions. I owe him a lot. I don't know if I ever would have thought to try making a living by combining my two favorite things if I hadn't talked to him."

"And your two favorite things are..?" the boy prompted, his pen poised and ready.

"Magic and coffee," Bobbie replied with a cheeky smile. "Though some would say they're the same thing."

"Would you say that?"

She considered this. "Yes. In many ways, they are the same thing. They both have the power to break a sleeping curse, provide miraculous bouts of energy, or cause feelings of instant and powerful love... And in some other ways, one is vastly improved by the other."

She winked at him.

The boy quoted her, making additional notes in no particular order all over the pages of his notebook.

She watched him with a nostalgic smile, remembering that, once upon a time, she had been that young. She continued washing her mugs, tea cups, and saucers, preparing for the café to open within the hour.

As the boy continued to write, she glanced out the window at the sign hanging above the door. "Magic Pumpkin Café," it read. Not exactly subtle, but appropriate. She was proud of the name, just as she was proud of her café. Delicious specialty coffees and teas, available with "a little extra magic," if the patron desired. Every ingredient was measured and tested to perfection; the recommended doses, directions, warnings, and side effects clearly noted. For, while a little magic was good, an overabundance could lead to disaster.

Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror behind the coffee bean grinder, she tucked a loose piece of silver hair back up into her bun and adjusted her square spectacles, which were always inching their way down her up-turned nose. She looked advanced in years, but was not without grace, poise, and a figure that still made most men do a double-take. She smiled at her reflection, content with the way she was aging.

There were still many a Prince Charming looking her way.

"So," the boy said, consulting the posted menu, "you have drinks that can help with a person's love life, confidence, honesty, sleeplessness, social life, cowardice, and countless other afflictions and aspects of life. Any new and upcoming drinks to look forward to?"

She laughed - a tingling, heartfelt sound, reminiscent of bells. "Now, I shouldn't say anything, because who knows if I'll be able to get the potion levels to balance enough to accomplish this, but I'm working on an espresso shot that can cause temporary flight." She gave the boy a wide smile. "It's coming along nicely. I'm close, I can feel it, and I'm so excited by the prospect. If I can accomplish this recipe with my reserve of pixie dust, then the sky is the limit - literally!"

"Temporary flight?!" the boy cried. "Like...Neverland style?"

"Indeed," she said, a proud smile showcasing the little dimple that graced the left side of her face. "A few more weeks, and any average Joe should be able to keep up with Peter Pan. As long as he believes, of course. That's the secret."

The boy gawked at her, his pen suspended a few inches above the paper. Then he began to scribble with speed and vigor. "Wish we woulda had that when Bill Sikes was after us! Brilliant! Recreation and a quick escape method!"

Bobbie laughed, amused by his reaction. She knew the new drink would be very popular, if she could only work out that one little kink... No strapping young lad of any age wished to sprout fairy wings. Even if only for an hour.

The boy finished writing and adjusted the gray derby on his head. "This place is...unbelievable," he said, a breathless quality to his voice. "You're unbelievable! No wonder the Times sent me here for an interview!"

She smiled. "You're not from one of the magical realms, I take it?"

"I'm from London."

"Ah. That city has its own brand of magic, to be sure."

"It's got some charm."

She nodded. "It does, indeed. Any other questions?"

"Just one," the boy said. "Off the record: you need an assistant?"

She laughed again, hearty and unguarded. "You are just darling!" she exclaimed. "But don't you enjoy working for the paper?"

"O'course!" he said. "Love it! But I'm young, so it's only part time. And I'd love to see firsthand what you do. Be the sorcerer's apprentice, so to speak."

"I do have one employee," Bobbie said, a thoughtful expression on her face. "A pretentious girl with a huge wolf of a dog, who always wears a blinding red hoodie. She's efficient, though. Old women love her. But...I probably could take on another - for busy days. Hmm... Why don't you leave your name and number, and I'll call you later?"

"You got it!" the boy cried. "Brilliant! Thank you!" He ripped a page out of his notebook and scribbled down his name and phone number. With a grin that would rival the Cheshire cat, he handed her the paper.

Holding it at arm's length and looking down through her spectacles, she read, "Jack Dawkins. That's odd... I read your newspaper every week and I've never seen your name in it."

"Ah! That's 'cause I write under a pseudonym," Jack explained. "An old nickname I picked up from my long-gone days of picking pockets."

"A reformed pick-pocket," she said, her eyebrows rising and falling in amusement. "Now that's proof of magic, if ever there was. What's the nickname?"

"Dodger," he told her, a mischievous grin blooming on his face. "The Artful Dodger."

~*~

The Magic Pumpkin Café ~
Coffee & Tea to Turn the Mundane into the Extraordinary

This Month's Specials:

The Jiminy Cricket

Finding it difficult to make the right decisions? Are you having trouble distinguishing right from wrong? Are lies winning out over the truth and causing trouble in your work and/or social life?

Well, it's time to kiss these worries goodbye! With the help of Jiminy Cricket, you'll always be brave, truthful, and unselfish! This creamy and delicious mint mocha will do more than make your taste buds dance - within minutes* of consumption, no matter the circumstance, you will always make the moral, just, and honest choice!

Treat yourself to something sweet, and always let your conscience be your guide!

*Actual allotment of time to begin feeling/seeing effects varies depending on the consumer's BMI.

**Disclaimer: The recommended dose for this beverage is 8 fluid oz. To exceed this in a 24-hour period could result in uncensored, brutal truth-telling, which may lead to hurt feelings and broken relationships.

*

True Love's Kiss

Are feelings of loneliness and abandonment causing you depression? Are you often plagued by thoughts that you don't matter, are unlikable, or will never find love? Do you float through your work day in a haze and cry yourself to sleep at night, wondering: "Why am I alone?"

Well, fear not! Though few people find the love they deserve, you will no longer have to wait for yours! Try True Love's Kiss ~ a sweet, delicious coffee concoction that, once consumed, mimics the blissful and euphoric feeling of being kissed by your true love for the very first time! With just one cup*, you will have a smile that refuses to fade, and your hopeless thoughts of never finding your perfect prince or princess will be instantly banished!

You deserve True Love! Get a taste of it today!

Possible side effects include but are not limited to:
- Feelings of intoxication
- Urges to kiss random strangers

*One cup in a 24-hour period is the strongly recommended dose. To exceed this may result in delusions of fictitious relationships and/or severely promiscuous behavior. Please drink responsibly.

*

Spindle

Are sleepless nights getting you down? Is it hard to focus, perform at your best, and keep the anxiety at bay? Is the dragon of mediocrity slaying you, instead of you slaying it?

If so, it may be time for you to try Spindle ~ the Anti-Espresso Shot! Get the deepest, purest sleep of your life, accompanied by dreams of finding true love and slaying your own personal dragons, along with the guarantee of waking up refreshed*.

The shot is available to-go, so that you may take it when ready to slip under your covers in the safety of your own home. End the days of feeling like a fairy without wings! Get the Beauty Sleep you deserve!

Warning: Do not consume unless you have eight to ten hours available for deep sleep.

*Safe when used as directed, in recommended doses. Prolonged use or double servings may result in a comatose state.

*

The Glass Slipper

Want to look your best, dance all night, and possibly fall in love? Try Magic Pumpkin Cafe's latest creation: The Glass Slipper Latte. You'll have an extra boost in energy, glowing skin, shiny hair, and grace on the dance floor*.

Be the envy of all the ugly stepsisters at the ball, and win the heart of your prince or princess!

Side effects may include but are not limited to:
- Smelling of pumpkin
- The loss of one or both shoes

*Safe when used as directed. Effects begin to wear off at midnight.

~*~