Users began to appear in the park setting and strolling around. This early in the game there were no time challenges, this was about establishing myself so I tried to look busy but approachable. Busy but approachable. Ok, how do I do that?

Stack cups? Nope, that’s already done. Organise… the… cookies? Too much, too much. Wipe... the… something? Yes. I will wipe. It looks a lot like I’m wiping a perfectly clean counter over and over again. There is LITERALLY nothing to clean- the game only just started!

I see users queuing up to Speedy Sue: her strategy is working! I see two users walking away from her van with steaming hot cups AND there’s users lining up for Marcus.

Where. Are. MY. Customers?!

Suddenly a lady with a pram veers towards me smiling, I smile back and as she approaches, I call out, “Hi there! Welcome to Tina’s Place. How are YOU today?”

Wow, that came out really natural! It didn’t even sound like I was freaking out. She smiled briefly and leaned over to check on the baby.

‘Do you have decaf? I miss real coffee but while I’m feeding this one- no caffeine for me!”

“Of course, coming right up! Small, medium or large?”

“Large! Thank you!”

She tapped her credit to me and I watched my score rise. I started making it carefully and it was going well, till suddenly the baby began screaming its head off.

Stay calm, babies cry. Babies cry, it's normal, you didn’t do anything. I kept pouring, trying to stay calm but the baby gave an unexpected shriek cry and I spilled a little.

Did she see? She didn’t see. Breathe. Pour. Stir. Lid. Hand over, DONE!

I handed it over, smiling but she didn’t smile back. The screaming baby had ALL her attention and I needed my rating. What do I do? She put the coffee cup to her lips but stopped at the last minute. She didn’t take a sip!

Oh no, oh no, oh no, am I about to get a one star? It’s too soon for one star! She’s my first customer!

The lady held the coffee, still looking angry and other users began to look over. This was ruining my van business before I even started! What should I do? I looked around frantically, part of me hoping the ground would open up and swallow the whole van.

Then I saw it- salvation!

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

I opened the cookie jar and offered the lady a cookie with the tongs.

“Maybe the little one is hungry?” I said, over the screams.

The lady smiled and handed the cookie to the baby, and the baby stopped screaming!

“Awww, that did it! Thank you so much Tina! Five stars for you!”

WOW! I smiled and said, “Thank you so much!” She wheeled the pram away. I was so relieved. Sure my credit was down the amount of the cookie price, but I had a five star rating! I wanted to leave the van and look at the space above the van. I knew I would see five stars and so would all the other users!

In the distance, Speedy Sue had three stars and Marcus had four- I was in the lead, at least review wise. It was SO frustrating that they could see my rating, but I couldn’t see theirs! The next users came up very quickly- two iced coffees, one extra strong. I made them and watched my credit rise slightly. Then I was up to three coffees successfully made, but I still didn’t know my rating. That’s when the incident began…

I was in the middle of making a soy mocha, which is normally really easy, when suddenly a boy I had never seen before came running up to my van. I saw the whole event almost in slow motion: the red headed boy ran right up to me and used all his strength to throw a drink! Cup, drink, lid, Everything! It splattered all over me and then I heard what he was yelling:

“This is the worst ice latte I ever had! ONE STAR! ONE STAR! No one buy coffee here, she's terrible!”

Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry.

I wiped the cold milk and some chunks of ice out of my hair and said, “I’ve never seen you before- and I DIDN’T make that ice latte.” He stood there for a moment, then bolted out of sight as fast as he had appeared. I was not going to let this beat me, I could get the milk off my shirt later- the customer is still waiting!

Quickly but carefully, with milk still on my arms and face, I finished the soy mocha. I handed it to the shocked girl who was waiting for it. She took a sip and smiled, but walked away really quickly. I hoped too many people didn’t see what just happened but I was positive I didn't make the ice latte. Where did it come from?

Users avoided me for a few minutes as the game continued. I’m pretty sure they heard the boy. I wanted to look around and make eye contact with a user, when suddenly there was an announcement right in front me:

WINNER ROUND 1: SPEEDY SUE

The theme music of KSK played throughout the park and there was the mandatory applause as her van vanished back into the lobby. She automatically got a double credit bonus. Another minute passed and I saw more writing:

SECOND PLACE: MARCUS

Then his van disappeared and some of the users vanished completely. Great. In the gaming opportunity of my dreams, I was coming last.

I powered through, carefully making the last two drinks for a pair of users in business suits. I only needed one more, then I could check my rating in the lobby.

I looked up and saw the last user that I needed. She was queued up and ready to go. She was a sweet old lady with a large, colourful scarf.

Determined to be professional to the end, I said, “Hi there! Welcome to Tina’s Place. How are YOU today?” Her tiny, elderly face smiled up at me.

“I’m having a better day than you, dear. Are you ok?”

She was so kind, so sweet to ask me how I was… I almost cried.

“Well, not every day is going to be the greatest day ever, but I’m still happy to be here. What can I make you? And… thank you for asking how I am.”

She smiled again and said, “I’d like a nice darjeeling tea, bag in the cup, no milk.”

“Right away!”

She delicately tapped her credit to me and I began to make it. As I did, I thought of my grandmother, who passed away five years ago. She loved the delicate taste of darjeeling tea- it was a crime to ruin it with milk. Clearly this lady felt the same. I finished it carefully and set it down near her, indicating the bag.

“You’ll want to let it steep a bit, it will bring out the flavour.”

“Yes it will, dear, yes it will. You have a good day now, bye bye.”

“Thank you! See you next time!”

We smiled at each other, a brief, happy moment, and while I watched her shuffling slowly away, I forgot that I stank of latte, had milk on my neck and hair, and somehow, even had wet patches on my legs.

She must have given my rating, because a second later I saw:

THIRD PLACE: TINA

I felt myself fading as the first mission ended. I couldn’t wait to see my rating. Eyes closed, I waited for the lobby to load…