A Brand New Coffee Shop
Friday, 10am, who would have thought there would be so much action in the brand new coffee shop on the bottom floor of a parking garage.
I hear the girls behind me speaking. Eavesdropping closely, I can hear one of the girls asking the other what she does on campus. I began to question; What’s the nature of this meeting? What initially looked like two close friends suddenly became apparent that these girls are strangers. My mind quickly goes to the conclusion of an interview, but the next question shut down those suspicions. The other girl asks what she likes to drink and where she wants to go out; this seems too informal and too inappropriate for an interview. The girl talk goes back and forth and the same goes for my suspicions of what they mean to each other. Was this a first date? Two lonely girls trying to make friends? A group project meeting with distractions? My head is too filled with questions. I barely hear one of them calling my name. I turn my head in realization that I know both girls, but from two different places. While I’m still left wondering what they were doing there, I leave with the reminder of how small this world is.
My name is called a second time, but this time by the barista letting me know my smoothie is ready. I go to pick it up, and to my surprise, another girl with my same name, had ordered the same drink. Coincidence, I presume. It’s not that this girl looked anything like me at all. Her features are all opposite. She’s tall and skinny rather than short and blonde rather than brunette. But we have the same name and the same uncommon order of a smoothie at a coffee shop, I wonder what else we have in common. Maybe she enjoys long walks on the beach as much as I do. Maybe she also dreams of opening a hotel. Maybe she procrastinates as much as I have, and is doing all her homework early on a Friday as well so she can go out and enjoy this weekend with her friends and roommates. To think, there might be someone in this world, living the same life as me, and we never would have crossed paths if we hadn’t been in the same coffee shop, with the same order, with the same name, at the same time.
Me and my friend decide it’s time to leave the coffee shop. While we thought our interactions were over, on the way out, one of the baristas complimented my sweatshirt. I turn around to thank him and am greeted by the most radiant smile I’ve seen all day, as it is only 10 am and it’s a Friday morning. I wonder if he really did like my sweatshirt, or just wanted to stop me on my way out so we can rate his service on his first day of this new job. He was excellent at what he does, as my smoothie was delicious, but it wouldn’t have mattered if he was a terrible barista. His smile and positivity is what I needed to get me through my Friday and turn my good day into a great day.
About them beans
Who: A High Point student.
Where: The Sunshine Cafe High Point University, North Carolina.
When: Early Friday Morning in the middle of January.
What I’m drinking: Mango Smoothie.
