The Coffee Shop

I went for caffeine and a place to read more articles for school without the distractions of home. However, today the world was bustling and human interactions is fascinating

At the table behind me was a group of 60-something year old ladies who from what I can overhear of their conversation are interior decorators. They talk about colors with such passion and opinion. They debated the merits of painting one's walls such colors as raspberry. One woman was all for it, but other declared she had to have neutral colored walls. It was quite refreshing to hear such discussion when normally I'm surrounded by programmers arguing about "user experiences".

Two other women across the shop had been there talking longer than I and I'd been reading for over an hour. Their drinks had been empty for quite a while, but their conversation had yet to dry up. I wonder how often they have coffee dates? It would be a delightful thing if the could carry on such lengthy conversations every week.

An older man, sweet with age came in and got a viente cup of something. As I watched him put in sugar, I wondered if he just got a coffee or if the old man would surprise me with an espresso drink. He walked pass my table and waved and said hello. He wanted to know if I played chess. He'd set up a table outside. Sadly I have no clue how to play. He introduced himself as Vincent and walked out to his table. He just sat there with his chess set waiting for someone to ask to play with him. It just seemed so European or maybe small town or big city for him to just sit there waiting for a volunteer. It made me a bit sad that I couldn't indulge him. I feel like he would have told many interesting stories to whoever sat opposite him.

My goals when entering the coffee shop were fulfilled. I had drank my allotted amount of caffeine for the day and I finished my article about the perseverance of paper in the digital world. But I must say I felt more fulfilled by my observations of the people in that little coffee shop than by ticking a couple of things off my to-do list.