Coffee Shop

Is this real? Am I alone or are we all connected in this life?

Here I am standing in the confines of a neatly constructed existence, waiting in a queue at the counter of a large chain coffee shop.

Bombarded by all the fanciful options on the menu board above me, cakes neatly stacked within glass displays, lit from above by the ghastly fluorescent lights conveniently sheltered by little covers to protect our eyes from the glare.

So many options. So many choices. Just to order I have to wade through the mental dilemma of which coffee. White? Black? Soy? Tall? Long? Regular? Cream? Flavour? Hot? Cold? Now what about food? Cake? Bread? Toast? Pie? Hot? Cold? Is this dinner or just a snack?

Okay, I'll have a long black and, hmmm what shall I eat, Banana Bread? Yeah, no hang on Raisin Toast, yeah that's it. That's what I feel like. Now, how much will that be? Lets see $2.50 for the coffee and $3.00 for the Raisin Toast. Okay that's $5.50. Better check my wallet for cash before I get to the register to order. The last thing I want is to get there and feel all embarrassed trying to add up my coins in front of the others in the queue.

Jesus, how long is that guy going to take ordering. Why cant people make up their mind before they get to the register so they don't hold us all up?

Okay lets see, $5.50. I start to add the coins that are in my wallet. Damn I only have $4.80 in change and I really wanted to get rid of that. I hate the weight of so many coins in my wallet. Okay so I'll have to use the ten-dollar note. Damn that means even more coins when I get change. They better give me two-two dollar coins and a fifty. I don't think I can fit any more into my wallet. Maybe I don't really need the raisin toast? I am a little hungry though and probably won't eat again for a few hours.

Finally that guy has finished ordering. Good on you Geoff, about time. He doesn't really look like a Geoff to me. Hey I might use a different name today when I order. That will make it at least a little less monotonous. What name should I use? How about Joey? Yeah that sounds cool. Just need to remember which name I gave to them for when they call out my order.

Wow. That girl serving is cute. She looks about 19 or 20 though. Too young for me I guess? Who says? Hmmm. Probably have nothing in common with her anyway. Man there's heaps of people in queue now. Glad I got here when I did.

Okay cool my turn to order.

"Hi, How can I help you? Hey she has a cute voice also."

"Hi, could I have a long black, and some Raisin toast thanks".

"Anything else sir?", "No that's all thanks"

" Can I take a name to go with your order?"

"Yeah, Joey"

"Okay, that's $5.50."

"Thanks" I hand her the ten dollar note. "That's $4.50 change sir, we'll call your name when the order is ready".

"Thanks" As she places the change into my hand I notice that it is two-two dollar coins and a fifty-cent piece.

Excellent.

Wow, she is cute.

She starts to serve the person in line behind me as I move away from the counter putting the change into my wallet. Damn, forgot to get my frequent sipper card stamped. That was my tenth coffee too, so my next one would have been free. Now I'll have to buy a coffee on the way to the station tomorrow and I just had enough coins to buy my train ticket to Mums. I'll have to break one of my twenty dollar notes now. Damn it. Even more coins.

I look around for somewhere to sit. There's a family at the front of the store on the comfy couches, so that's not an option. It's too cold outside. I could sit near the tables on the windows that overlook the lane, but that's right near where everyone orders and I always feel like the customers in line are staring at me eating. The tables at the back are full, damn it. Oh hang on that couple is leaving in the corner, Excellent.

I move to the table in the corner that has a prime view back down the length of the shop. I can see all that happens from here. I like to just sit and watch life happen. It's also a great vantage point to check out any girls that wonder in. I think I'll write in my journal.

I get my journal out and vaguely hear " Joey, long black and Raisin toast"

Oh, that's me, sweet - coffee. I almost forgot the name I gave to the cute girl serving for my order.

I get up and collect my coffee and toast from yet another cute girl, and return to my little prime positioned corner spot and place my coffee, raisin toast, plastic spoon and butter tub on the table.

I sit down and butter my toast and look up at the small gathering of strangers that have become my fellow customers and for this little moment in out lives, we all have something in common. It may only be the fact that we are relaxing, enjoying a coffee, but it is a shared experience none-the-less.

Now that coffee machine really is loud. Okay, that's it, out comes the Discman. Headphones in, press play. Ahhh, that's better than that damn coffee machine. Now all but the loudest of coffee shop noises is blocked from my senses. The occasional plate being dropped heavily in the kitchen can be heard, but the music is mostly keeping out the noise.

A screaming little kid bursts through the musical soundtrack to my coffee experience. I look up. Oh great the people at the table just next to me are getting up to leave and a women with her screaming kid is bee lining straight for it. Just great. Damn it, she has a friend with her with yet another screaming kid.

I reach into my pocket to turn the volume up slightly on my Discman. As I look up I notice the girl currently placing an order at the counter is very cute indeed.

I start to write in my journal as I sip my coffee, take a bite of my raisin toast and listen to my music. Not a bad way to finish the working week I guess.

As I finish my snack and sip the last of my coffee, I look around. The shop is fairly empty now. Maybe only 10 people other than the staff are scattered around at various tables and couches.

I watch the others all around me go through what I have just been through. Or do they? Maybe they don't think of it on that level. Perhaps they are simply thinking about what they will be doing on the weekend, or what time they need to be home in order to get ready to go out tonight. Maybe they're lucky and to them it's just ordering a goddamn coffee.

Ok, should I have another coffee? Nah, the cute girl just left anyhow.

This is what went through my mind during a small twenty-minute window of my life one Friday evening. I wonder if I were separate to the events that were taking place in the cafe or if I was connected totally with everything that was occurring?

Were we all playing part in a larger objective in life?