The Coffee-Cart Girl

This story starts out with a strike going on in front of the Metropolitan Steel Windows Ltd. In the midst of the crowd of people are several coffee carts and one in particular, is run by the story's protagonist, nicknamed Pinkie eventually. While the crowd of strikers are combating the police force that is trying to suppress them, some of the coffee carts start collapsing because of all of the people. A man, nicknamed China, pulls the girl out of her coffee cart and wheels it away just as another collapses. She thanks him and promises to give him free coffee and pancakes. Eventually, China becomes a regular to Pinkie's cart, but being without a job, barely has the money to pay for his food. Pinkie offers him free pancakes and coffee anytime he doesn't have the money to buy food. CHina graceously accepts, but rarely takes up on the offer. When China gets a job, he takes her to a cheapjack, Naidoo, and lets her pick out anything she wants. After this day, Naidoo also becomes a frequent customer to Pinkie's cart. One day, China notices a new ring in Pinkie's finger. When he asks her about it, she tells him Naidoo gave it to her for payment of three days of coffee and cakes. China doesn't believe this and gets jealous to the point he threatens to kill Pinkie. When he can't bring himself to do it, he apologizes and goes away. Scared to return, China contemplates how he'll talk to Pinkie after this. After three days, he goes back only to find her cart empty. He asks Naidoo about it and apparently the government restricted carts run by blacks. He sat in her empty coffee cart and thought of how or if he'd meet her again.