The Student Shop

Its about 95° outside and the sun is out with no signs of clouds in the sky. I arrived at CometCoins Coffee Shoppe around four in the evening. When I walk in it is quiet and all you can hear is the soft music in the background. The music is quiet enough that nothing is clearly decipherable except the sounds of a guitar playing. As I look around I spot several laptops, books and paper, and backpacks. Most of the patrons are students. There are a few older patrons who are engulfed in the Sunday paper.

There is a couple who appear to be on a study date. They’re taking up a small table in one of the far corners of the room. They sit closely at the ample table. They both quietly work rarely communicating with each other. When they communicate its in quickly hushed tones.

In the opposite corner a young male is working diligently on his computer. None of his clothes are matching. He has his computer bag placed on the table and is picking within arms reach. Every once in a while he reaches in and pulls out a morsel of food.

A table away from the lovebirds sit two girls. Their backpacks lay haphazardly on the floor and their papers are strewn across the table. They both have their computers out but neither of them are working. They are both enthusiastically having a conversation. Their voices break the silence of the coffee shop. They speak in a mix of Indian and English. It reminds me of Spanglish.

The barista at the counter is expressionless and neutral. He is polite and makes small talk with the patrons as he fills the orders. He finishes quickly although there is only a small amount of people in line.

Half an hour into my stay there is a quick rush. About ten or fifteen people fill the CometCoins in a matter of minuets. They are mostly older patrons but a few younger patrons as well.

Three young girls in their late teens sit at a table as they wait for there drinks. They all look similar to each other almost like sisters. They each have the same shade of dirty blonde hair and wear the same style yoga shorts and shirt in different colors. They reminisce about their high school senior year and how much fun they each had. They then move on to talk about their classes and professors. They all agree and disagree on the same things. None of them are happy with the amount of homework they are receiving this semester.

Another patron who came in with the rush sits down at the large table in front of the bar. He looks to be in his mid thirties. He wears a cowboy boots that match his straw hat. He wears Levis jeans and a white buttoned down shirt. Clipped on his belt buckle is his phone. It is a clunky obviously out dated flip phone. It looks like the type of phone you could run over and nothing would happen to it. In his hands he holds a very modern tablet. He seems very engrossed with what he reads. He swipes quickly through and doesn't hear his order being called until the barista calls out to him. Like most of the older patrons he is just passing through and leaves after getting his order.

The Chatty Cathys have seemed to quieted down and have begun to do their work diligently. Soon after they become productive they resume their conversation and their progress ends.

During this rush the barista has been able to flawlessly keep up. He fills multiple orders at the same time using his time efficiently.

I take note that almost everyone is drinking some form of hot beverage although it is 95° outside. Among those who drink cold drinks the males seem to only be drinking iced coffee and the females seem to be drinking fruity teas.

I also take note that all the computers with the exception of one of the Chatty Cathys are Apple brand computers.