I don’t know how it happened.
But I managed to return from Asia with only one pair of socks and three pairs of underwear.
So yesterday, I went to the mall.
Of course, it was madness.
After fighting the crowds, I decided to walk into old town to relax at my favorite cafe.
But I wasn’t the only one with this idea.
As I approached the cafe, I could see through the window that it was nearly full.
So I went around the corner to my second-favorite cafe, which was also full, but through the window I could see that my favorite comfy chair was free.
I quickly placed my order at the counter and claimed my chair.
As I was settling in I noticed something odd.
There were two half-drunk coffees in front of me.
Then the woman at the table next to me glanced over and then glanced again.
Do you see where this is going?
THE DRAMATIC CONCLUSION
A moment later, a man walked over to me and my comfy chair.
I thought he was the waiter bringing my coffee, except he didn’t have a coffee.
And he started speaking to me in Czech.
The gist of it was this: While he and his girlfriend were outside smoking I had stolen their seats.
“It was too good to be true,” I sighed.


The “gist” is a new word for me, I’ll have to look it out. I can just imagine the meaning from the context – a hidden true ? – hidden fact’?
I’m going to find out.
So I was quite close to it – “gist” means general meaning or essence of something. Thanks for enriching my vocabulary !