Homecoming Weekend

The café is surprisingly quiet for a Friday afternoon. There are only three customers including myself sitting in the café. The classic rock tunes from the band Queen play in the background mixed with the laughter from the employees in the café.

Across from me sits a middle aged woman who is wearing a peach colored sweater and her sunglasses on top of her head. Mrs. Peach arches her back as she busily writes a paper. She has multiple folders spread across the table in different colors such as green, purple, and blue. Mrs. Peach did not purchase any items from the café but instead stays focused on what she is writing.

A girl to the right of me has headphones in her ear and is watching a funny TV episode on her phone. Her phone has a case that keeps the phone sitting upright and is supporting itself on the table allowing the young lady to watch her episode. Giggles has a pastry from the café sitting on the right side of her phone as well as iced water which is next to her bright pink water bottle. Giggles occasionally breaks out in laughter but then contains herself after becoming embarrassed when Mrs. Peach turns her head to look at her.

Two young men enter the café and get in line to order an item from the café. One of the young men wears athletic wear that is navy and carries a bright orange backpack. The other young man is in casual clothing such as jeans, a t-shirt and is wearing a ball cap which is positioned backwards on his head. After the young men each get their hot drinks they pick a small table and begin talking. It seems to be a serious conversation since neither of them are laughing or smiling. It appears as if the young man with the hat on backwards is asking the other for advice about a situation in his life. The man with the bright orange backpack mainly listens to what the younger man is saying then he will speak. This conversation continues for a long time then the younger man states something funny and they both laugh. After the first laugh it seems that there is a change in subject and both men begin smiling and laughing.

As I look out to see the activity in the bookstore I am surprised to see how busy the bookstore is compared to the café. Due to the fact that it is homecoming weekend there are lots of students in the store especially college aged females shopping for new clothing. Also the two rivalry high schools are playing against each other tonight at the college football field and there are lots of families shopping at the bookstore. An older couple takes their time around the store and the older gentleman seems intent on finding a NMSU sweatshirt since he picks one up then holds it up for his wife to see, but then puts one sweatshirt down and picks out another one.

A majority of the adults in the bookstore are carrying around black Alumni t-shirts. There is a herd of four female alumni who stick together as they shop around the store. Three of the four female alumni are blondes and the other has long brown hair. They seem very excited to be at the bookstore and try on various t-shirts. One or two will say something funny and they will all break out into laughter which can be heard from the café.

The bookstore employees are running around the store like chickens with their heads cut off. Since there are so many people shopping in the bookstore the employees are trying to answer questions, take customers over to the cashier or assist people in finding various sizes in the clothing.