One of the best places to hang out if you're alone is at a coffee shop. There is something about the smell of coffee, or maybe the tiny tables often flanked by 2 or more chairs but can barely accommodate a single person, that is conducive to solitude. The coffee experience is solemn, soothing and prone to introspection. It's as if the pervasive aroma of roasted beans beckons to the individual, at a personal level--- unlike alcohol whose call promises a raucous experience that can only be achieved in the sharing.
I like to sit at a table outside, equipped with a book to read, people-watching at intervals.
Some of the customers come in pairs or small groups, talking in hushed tones accompanied by some indistinct melody emitted by the coffee shop's speakers.
But most are by themselves--- alone but not necessarily lonely. If they were, it is not out of place.
One, usually an elderly man, would be reading a newspaper. Another would be reviewing for an exam, betrayed by the volumes of textbooks and loose notes scattered on her table. Yet another would be in front of his laptop, fingers dancing away on the keys.
Some faces are familiar, and recognize each other. A nod or a hint of a smile in acknowledgment momentarily mars the atmosphere of loneliness, but in breaking the gaze just as quickly restores it.
I feel comforted, and go back to reading. All's well.
Posts
