Read and Sip

Not much is happening in this place. Only around a dozen people are here with a very docile mood. A few people walk the isles searching book and magazine titles of a desired genre. Other individuals sit at tables near the coffee counter, where the smell of coffee beans is pungent. It is the latter part of the afternoon so the business is slow, several people just enter and exit after a rapid browsing of the store. I find the location quite inviting though with pleasant silence.

A woman paces the history isle for a book. Miss Glasses looks in the European history section and examines multiple books. She decides on one that fits her criteria and transitions to the checkout counter towards the exit of the store. Miss Glasses grabs some quick items at the register then checks out and leaves.

While Miss Glasses heads out a couple enters through the doors with an infant in a stroller. The Addition moves to the coffee stand for beverages and after proceed to the children’s literature section. The family picks out a selection of material consisting of pop-up books and bed-time readers. Next, The Addition goes to the non-fiction isle to choose something for the parents. They slowly make their way to the register and buy the items.

I see a man still sitting at a small table near the coffee area. He has been there for a while reading a New York Times newspaper. Sports Coat has a laptop on the table that he occasionally interacts with by short typing bursts, as in noting the literature. He doesn't have a beverage almost looking too busy to get one.

Three younger teenage girls enter the building and go straight to the coffee parlor. The Sneaker Group order drinks and receive them. They sit at a table for a few minutes and decide to make a round through the store. When the Sneaker Group finishes the circle they part out to the parking lot, laughing among each other in casual joking.

The majority of the individuals who were sitting at the tables have migrated to the reading couches or out of the store now. Only two people remain sitting, a male and a female of middle age, both with drinks that are consumed in the magazines they have. It is nearing dusk and employees begin to start their nightly clean-up of the building from bathrooms to sweeping and trash removal.

An elderly man enters the place to consults with a book store employee about a certain piece of literature work. The employee guides the Mr. Cardigan to the section of his concentration and the man eyes the front and back of a chosen stack of books. Mr. Cardigan decides on two of the books and totes them to the checkout to pay and depart.

As the employees finish their duties for the evening the environment becomes almost lonesome. It seems no one is talking to anybody and more people are leaving than coming in. The two people sitting at the tables with magazines leave themselves, and I do the same.