The Empty Workstation

SHORT STORY — DÍA DE MUERTOS SPECIAL

PART 2 — THE EMPTY WORKSTATION

Every morning, someone left a cup of coffee at the empty workstation.

Nobody remembered who started the tradition.

The man who once worked there had been gone for years.

His tools were still neatly arranged.

His old jacket hung behind the chair.

And every morning, the coffee was fresh.

One November morning, a young operator noticed something strange.

The cup was half empty.

Beside it lay a small handwritten note.

“The wrench is still in the wrong place.”

He smiled.

Only one person had ever complained about that.

The old man who used to work there.

The operator moved the wrench.

The next morning, another note appeared.

“Much better.”

And beneath it, in smaller handwriting:

“Thank you for remembering me.”

That morning, for the first time in years, someone pulled up a second chair.

And poured another cup of coffee.