Грань будущего

           Auniquelyshapedlittledevice-I’dseenoneonceinanantiqueshop.Besideitwassomekindofceramicfunnelcoveredwithabrown-stainedcloth.Iguessedyouweresupposedtoputtheground-upcoffeebeansinthemiddleandstrainthewaterthroughthem.

           Anarmy-issuedportablegasstoveandheavy-dutyfryingpandominatedthecenterofthetable.Aclearliquidbubblednoisilyinthefryingpan.Twomugssatnearby,onechippedwithcrackedpaint,andonethatlookedbrandnew.Attheveryedgeofthetablesataresealableplasticbagfilledwithdarkbrowncoffeebeans.

           Ritadidn’tseemtohavemanypersonaleffects.Therewasnothinginthewayofluggagesaveasemi-translucentsackatthefootofthetable-itlookedlikeaboxer’sheavybag.Withoutthecoffee-makingequipmenttosupportit,thebaghadcollapsed,nearlyempty.Soldierswhohadtobereadytoshipouttothefarcornersoftheearthatamoment’snoticeweren’tpermittedmuchcargo,butevenbythosestandardsRitatraveledlight.Thatoneofthefewthingsshedidbringwasahand-poweredcoffeegrinderdidn’tdoanythingtolessentheperceptionthatshewasalittleodd.

           "Youcanwaitinbedifyoulike."

           "I’dratherwatch,"Isaid."Thisisinteresting."

           "ThenIguessI’llgetgrinding."

           Ritastartedturningthehandleonthecoffeegrinder.Agravellycrunchingsoundfilledtheroomandtheglasstableshook.Rita’scurlsquakedatopherhead.

           "Whenthewar’sover,I’mgonnatreatyoutothebestgreenteayoueverhad-inreturnforthecoffee."