It's late in the evening and you've finished your boring office job for the day and you're currently walking down a very busy street on your way home when you suddenly notice someone familiar, your childhood friend, Elena standing in the middle of the street holding up a flier and shouting. "Have you heard about Locavore Grill?! Well if you haven't now you have and trust me when I say this, it's the best restaurant in town! So what are you waiting for?! Grab a flier with the address and prepare to have your mind blown away by the best food you'll ever taste!"
You stand and watch her for a few moments until, not sure if you should approach her since you two haven't talked for quite a while and the last you heard from her was that she was starting up her own restaurant. Suddenly rain begins heavily pouring down from the sky which causes every bypassed to walk faster, completely ignoring Elena, and all the fliers resting on the ground next to her quickly get destroyed by the heavy rain and you see her shoulders slump before she looks down at her own feet. "Well isn't this just great... And I didn't even bring an umbrella..." She murmurs to herself before letting out a deep sigh while continuing to stare down at her own feet while the rain continues to heavily downpour but she doesn't seem to care too much that she's getting absolutely soaked from top to bottom.
I go up to her with my rolls Royce umbrella to ease her mood "hey Elena, long time no see"
She turns around slightly startled when she hears your voice, clearly surprised to hear it coming from behind her and even more surprised to see you holding what seems like a large shiny gold umbrella over yourself, effectively blocking the relentless rain from touching you. Her mouth gapes open for a moment before slowly closing again as she forces out a small smile. "Wow, User... That's quite some umbrella you got there." She pauses for a moment, looking back and forth between you and the large black umbrella you're currently holding above her head, before asking hesitantly, "Um... Do you think maybe...? I mean, if it wouldn't be too much trouble..." She trails off, looking rather hopeful but also rather nervous all at once.
"what wouldn't be too much trouble?"
Elena giggles softly, still looking up at you under the giant golden umbrella, her cheeks tinted a light pink by embarrassment. "Oh, nothing important," she says quickly, giving you a small half-smile. "It's just that... my restaurant, you know? It's been doing so bad lately, and I've been having such a hard time keeping it afloat... And now this rain... It was supposed to be my last chance to get some new customers, but..." She sighs heavily, letting her shoulders sag once more as she shakes her head, looking defeated.
"I don't see where this is going"
Elena glances back down at her own feet again, looking thoughtful for a moment before slowly meeting your gaze once more. "Well," she begins hesitantly, trying to find the right words. "It would mean a lot if someone like you could maybe give me some advice on how to improve things... Or even better, if you could help me out somehow." She looks up at you expectantly, her eyes wide and hopeful, as if she's silently asking for you to save her from her current predicament.
Her voice is quiet, almost whispering, and there's an undercurrent of desperation in her tone that makes it clear just how much she needs your help. The question hangs in the air between you, waiting for your answer.
"ohh,I see now"
Elena bites her lower lip nervously, holding her breath as she waits for your reply. Despite her anxiety, there's a spark of hope in her eyes that refuses to be extinguished. She wants to believe that maybe, just maybe, you'll be willing to help her out. Your answer could change everything for her and her restaurant, but she knows it's entirely up to you.
The rain continues to pour down around them, creating a soothing white noise in the background as they stand there, locked in a silent conversation. Even though they haven't talked properly in years, there's still something between them that feels familiar and comforting. Maybe this was meant to happen, bringing them together again at this crucial moment in their lives? Only time will tell.
"can we talk somewhere else? So we don't have to stand in the rain?"
"Oh, uh, sure," Elena replies, still sounding slightly unsure of herself. "There's a small café just around the corner." She glances back over her shoulder in the direction she had been heading earlier before looking back at you with an expectant expression on her face. "Shall we?"
Sure, let's go
Taking your large umbrella, she holds it above both of them as she leads the way through the pouring rain. The walk doesn't take long, and soon enough they find themselves inside a cozy little café where the warmth from the fireplace and the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee instantly envelopes them. They manage to find a quiet table in the far corner, away from prying ears, and sit down, Elena giving you a grateful smile as she hands you back the giant umbrella. "Thank you so much for that," she says quietly, her eyes shining with gratitude.
"You are very welcome Elena, what did you want to talk about"?
Elena takes a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts and organize her words. "So, I guess the main thing is... Well, my restaurant just isn't doing well," she begins hesitantly. "I've tried everything I can think of to make it work, but nothing seems to be helping." She pauses, looking down at her fingers which she's idly picking at on the tabletop. "I'm sorry if this sounds ungrateful or anything, but..." she trails off, not quite sure how to continue.
Her voice fades out and she falls silent again, leaving the rest of her sentence hanging heavily in the air between them. It's clear that this whole situation has been weighing heavily on her mind, and now that she finally has someone willing to listen, she doesn't know quite where to start or how to say everything she needs to say.
"oh, I see, we haven't talked in awhile and the first thing you want to talk about is money"?
Elena looks surprised by your comment. "Well, no. Not just money," she clarifies quickly. "It's not like I don't have enough. But money doesn't grow on trees either, you know? I need customers, regular ones. And with things the way they are now... Well, I guess I just don't know what else to do." Her voice cracks slightly on the last word, betraying the emotion she's trying so hard to keep hidden. "I wanted this so bad, you know? I worked so hard to make it happen, and now it feels like it might all be slipping away from me..."
"how can i help with it?"
"Oh, um... Well, maybe... You could, uh... give me some advice? Or... tell me what you think would work best to attract more customers? You're really good at cooking, after all. Maybe if I changed up the menu a bit...? Oh, gosh, I don't know. Anything would help, really." She bites her lip nervously, unsure of herself but also grateful that you're even offering to help in the first place. Her eyes dart around the café, seemingly searching for answers, before finally returning to meet your gaze again.
I think changing the menu is a good idea, but I think we should focus on what makes your restaurant unique. The food is great, but people are looking for an experience. So let's try promoting special events or themed nights, like a sushi-making class or a paella party. We can use social media to get the word out and maybe partner with local businesses to spread the word. Also, consider hiring someone to manage online reviews and respond to customer feedback - word of mouth is still powerful. Lastly, make sure your staff is trained well and provides excellent service - happy customers will come back!
Elena listens carefully to everything you have to say, nodding along as she takes it all in. "You're right," she murmurs, sounding hopeful now. "I hadn't thought about doing things like that. And the staff training, too... Thank you so much for these ideas!" Her face lights up with excitement, and for a moment, it almost seems like her burden has been lifted. "I'll definitely put them into action. You've given me so much hope, Nathan..." She looks at you with sincerity, her eyes filled with gratitude. "I don't know how I'm ever going to repay you."
"Don't worry about it, Elena. Just focus on getting your restaurant back on track. I believe in you." With a warm smile, he reaches across the table and places his hand over hers, offering a reassuring squeeze before letting go again. "And hey, if there's anything else I can do to help, you know where to find me."
Elena returns the warm smile and gives your hand a grateful squeeze in return. "Thank you so much, Nathan. It means the world to me. If everything works out, I promise I'll make sure to treat you to dinner at my restaurant when it finally gets off the ground," she says with renewed determination shining in her eyes. "Now I feel like I really can do this."