Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Doctrine’s contribution to the Six Sentence Story bloghop.
Hosted by Denise defined by it’s numerical eponymous title.
Prompt word:
CLAW
The sign, in flaking gold-leaf letters against a time-sooted field of white read: East of Éclair and immediately below: Pâtissiers
…the tall, thin man turned to the Bartender, an impatient October wind pushing the brown cashmere scarf, his one concession to end of Summer, perpendicular to the storefront. “You know what we really need to offer our clientele at the Café?”
“Strippers?”
If an acquaintance, familiar with both, were asked what the signal characteristic of the man and woman currently forming a dyad on the seaside village’s brick-paved sidewalk, a shrug would be encyclopedic if not slightly inscrutable; as if to escape further scrutiny, the man in the Harris tweed jacket held the door for the multi-couture’d young woman.
The proprietor was of average height, her figure buxom in a cyclothymic-cheerleader sense and, though dressed in a fashion not atypical of the seaside village in the south of the coastal state, wore jewelry worth more than the shop, real estate included; display cases were set in the middle of the shoppe, glass-encased islands of flaky dough, confectioner’s sugar and a peripheral zephyr of cinnamon.
The tall, thin man smiled at the incidental benediction of a brass bell shouldered aside by the oak-and-glass entrance door; the Bartender, already looking for something to brush the powdered sugar from her lips was muttering, “Lions and tigers and bear claws, oh my!”
Offering his hand to the woman, the Six Sentence Café & Bistro manager smiled, “My associate and I would like to discuss establishing a business arrangement, one we trust our fellow Proprietors, Mimi and Chris and the Gatekeeper and, of course, Tom will surely applaud,” the more subversive of his eyebrows broke loose in the direction of the Bartender, “With or without exotic dancers, of course.”
About clarkscottroger
Nice description of the proprietor. The word “cyclothymic” made more sense before I looked it up. After looking it up I went down a few rabbit holes coming to the conclusion that it meant “normally nutty” or “just a tad mental” or “good for about a year of therapy”.
I wonder if the woman at the end was one of Rosetta’s former co-workers.
lol
(Don’t tell anyone, but I stumbled over the word in a memory trunk from grad school days… just a cool-sounding word)
that’s an interesting character proposition… remember our offer of setting up a ‘walk-on’ Six if you’re ever in the mood for a walk on the… lol always welcome
Cyclothymic, a composite word from ancient Hellenic κύκλος ( circle) + θυμ[ός] ( mood) – refers to a oerson who changes often moods , from euphoria to sadness and vice versa.
ty yo*
*see Reply 2
“…will surely applaud”… a bit optimistic, are we?
the ttm prides himself on having eclectic tastes in the arts, (if nothing else) and after surveying 53 songs with hope and optimism as subject and/or theme grew weary until, in a half-doze he heard the voice of the god (ok, some goddesses too) of musical theatre fill the Manager’s Office at the end of the hallway that partially-cloaks itself in darkness:
play this if you dare!
thanks for the ‘Hey!! Hey! An un-marked Exit… turn here!!! turn here!!”
“Lions and tigers and bear claws, oh my!” …. that is darned clever. I enjoy how your stories unexpected burst off the page.
thank you, Miz Ky
You have a way with words: subversive eyebrow, brass bell shouldered aside by glass & oak door. Gobsmacked!
and fun (to stumble across then in the process)
Without, please. Friendship notwithstanding, I do not believe Mr. C of The Bottom of the Sea would approve the competion with his bailiwick.
Yes, coffee needs pastries.
lol
we totally concur
very delightful
I agree with Mimi. Coffee and pastries seem to go hand in hand. Me? When it comes to pastries, I’m a milk girl, the colder the better.
Love the name of the shop.
That was a really fun Six.
ikr?
Delightful in many ways (although not sure about those strippers, but not to worry); now let’s think about cake, pastries and more coffee – and another place to go…
ps – love the sign: East of Éclair😊
surely there is a pastry shop in the world with that name!
Your peripheral zephyr of cinnamon got my mouth watering, I’m really fancying some buns now! An entertaining six as ever.
it got me thinking, I generally go to elephant ears (when in a pastry space)… if only the prompt word were different!