Wireless Cafes and Sunshine

HEAT WAVE...Seattle hit a whoppin' 58 yesterday...at least Lynnwood did.

If you're not from around here, you probably wouldn't understand, but sunshine = mass exodus of people to the outdoors. Trying to do anything that involved being outside on one of the first sunny days in a while is close to impossible.

I spent the day in a brilliant wireless coffee shop in Shoreline, reading my recent book Wicked - The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Tough book to read, but perfect for a cuppa Joe and a quiet Sunday.

While sitting in this wireless cafe it dawned on me that 1) I was the only female and 2) I was the only one not sitting with a computer. My odds were good being the only female in the room, though I reprimanded myself that I was there to read and not "stalk" anyone. But, then it dawned on me that not only were they all men, but men about my age...and several appeared single. Maybe wireless cafes in Shoreline is the new library? Maybe this is where to go to meet men? Except then I remember, they already had a sure thing...their computers.

I'm a voyeur. I love to watch people. Sherrie always gets mad when we go to dinner because I'm usually watching the people behind her doing whatever it is that has caught my attention. So, I inconspicuously watched the men in this cafe. One guy caught my attention (and everyone's attention) pretty quickly. I have to admit in good faith, I did feel bad for this guy and wanted to give him a hug for strength.

He walked into the place beaming with a smile that would catch the eye of Venus. Cute? In a techy, geeky sort of way. Wearing shorts and carrying a load of crap. He orders his coffee then scanned the room for the perfect table to place himself, his 14 books and his laptop. He spies it. Walks over to it like a male lion hunting a deer. But wait, the floor is a wee bit uneven...he trips a little...stumbles, but doesn't fall. The books, however, fly everywhere. But he saved his laptop. Of course.

After scrambling to retrieve all 14 books (I may be exaggerating, it may only have been 3). He sits in the nearest table. His face burning red with embarrassment, when he looks around the place and sees there's only a few other people all of which appear to not be paying attention to him. He starts to lay out his books, opens his laptop and tries to get things organized. He drops his pen. Picks it up, drops it again.

The barista yells, "Tall, skinny latte with extra foam". Our hero starts to walk to the counter, forgetting about the uneven floor board slightly stumbles again. He looks back to see WHAT on earth is making him trip. (We've all done that haven't we? You trip on some imaginary thing and look back to see what it was instead of admitting you're just clumsy) And in my mind I'm wishing, hoping - praying really - he remembers and doesn't trip on his way back with his hot coffee. But our hero ceremoniously makes it back without incident, well, almost.

Putting his coffee down he somewhat misjudges exactly where the book ends and the table begins. In slow motion, I see him scramble to his feet attempting to retrieve the slow falling coffee cup that is about to fall onto his computer. Superman would have been jealous to see this man's lightening quick speed to save his laptop. In his attempt to save the laptop, which is miraculously does, his coffee still spills everywhere. He sits down and I swear I saw a little white flag being waved from him. As he gets up to get napkins to clean up his mess I just about spit my own coffee out laughing at his Tshirt and the saying on it. It reads, "Today is not your day. Tomorrow isn't looking good either."