Ice scraper

 I'd scoped out my seating arrangement, nestled in with my laptop, and took a long sip of my latte. Time for me.
 I felt a breeze, then the breeze stopped and walked back to my table, plunking itself down. I looked up into the face of the monopolizer.
 Greeting me like a long lost friend, she plunged into her verbal stream and paddled furiously through her words.
 The first splash of words hit my ears like this: "So, I know it's been snowy and cold and icy and everything and the weather man called for another zero temperature tonight."
 Hello to you, too!
 "And anyway, did you know it's gonna be ten below wind chill? My dog came in and stayed in my bedroom with the door closed and the space heater on. That's the only way the two of us could even begin to stay warm; I had to let the water drip in the kitchen so it wouldn't freeze like last time and I had to call the plumber but Harold said I didn't need to call anyone as he could come and fix it since he still has all his tools but then, (she took a breath here) he would have to drive all the way from home and I told him not to bother since it would be more than 20 minutes one way out of his way and so I just told him not to."
 She blinked twice here and swallowed as I fished for a response. Thankfully, I didn't need one as her "ramblogue" continued:
 "And I left the water running, but stupid me, I didn't think about the electric bill and let the water run hot all night and it ran out in the middle of the night, I'm sure, and that was the reason my shower was ice cold this morning and it was the worst way to start a cold day so I couldn't get warm all day."
 She sighed, inducing me to wear a half sympathetic glance, a slight nod, and swallow, wondering if I should speak. Again, no need.

 "And so I really am gonna need to get an ice scraper. I mean, I had one for the longest time; kept it in my driver's side car door, ya know? It's a blue one from Green Valley Bank, they give 'em out every Christmas. They're not the best, but they don't do half bad. I know I had it during the ice storms last year and the year before that.
 "I sure wish I could park in a real garage. The carport is starting to lean and Harold says he can come fix it because he still has all his tools."
 Sure sounds convincing the second time.
 But anyway, it keeps the snow off but not the frost. I looked and looked for that ice scraper this morning. Of course, I had to pry the door open and start the engine. It barely wanted to crank. I was so scared I wouldn't get it to start..."
 She paused, for no explainable reason. I made a sound like a dog after dinner, a satisfied "hmmm" from deep in my throat.
 Apparently this sound was enough to kick start the next onslaught of words:
 "But it started up, thank goodness, and then I realized it was nearly empty. I didn't wanna keep it running and run outta gas. So I shut it off and looked around for the ice scraper.
 "I looked under the seat, in the passenger door, the back seat, even in the trunk around by the spare tire underneath the back floorboards of the trunk. Nothing. So, I turned on the car again and waited to see if the defrost would thaw it out. I heated some water on the stove since I didn't have any hot tap water," she stopped to laugh at the irony, continuing a strained chuckle through her nose until I was forced to emit a fake giggle that didn't even convince me.
 "And so, I got some hot water and poured it on the windshield. Of course, it only got the driver's side but that was enough to look through until I had to get to work and thankfully, I didn't run out of gas.
 "But do you know what?" (She waited; apparently, this was the punch line. Perhaps the flood of words was drying up...)
 "I got to work and there was that stupid ice scraper, right there on the passenger seat under my hat the entire time!"
 Reasonably good punch line, albeit a long wait.
 "Well, I gotta go, so good to talk to you again!"
 The breeze was off and blowing towards the exit. I watched after her, mind whirling from the wordy assault. I took a sip of my latte. It was cool.