1st October 2020
What everyone needs when they are on a deadline is an excursion.
Kelli had to take her mother for a doctor’s appointment in Grand Rapids, she didn’t want to do it, so to try to make the trip more enjoyable, I volunteered to come along.
It was a shitty day to make the trip as the rain was quite heavy when we left Holland.
We had learned from a bit of Googling that there was a coffee shop nearby, so I was set.
We made good time, and arrived early, and as Kelli and her mum made their way into the surgery I had a short walk to the coffee shop.
The Bitter End was a homey place with dark panelled walls covered with old black and white photographs, you immediately felt at home there, as did the students who had taken up residence on most of the available tables. Their faces illuminated by laptop screens.
Every other table has a large X taped on the tabletop to denote the exclusion zone, making the value of an available table even more desirable. I spied the table that would be ideal, checking it every few seconds to make sure that no one had snook in and placed a coat or laptop on the table to secure it.
They say it is a stressful experience, I believe it. The alternative is to drink my coffee outside in the bus shelter, nope that isn’t going to happen, if push comes to shove I’ll throw someone’s laptop into the street, and as they run to retrieve it I’ll take their table.
I ordered my large latte with almond milk, and grabbed one of the few muffins left.
There were two types, normal and vegan, I had the opportunity to grab the normal, but because I didn’t put my glasses on I grabbed the vegan one instead.
It was a decent size, but a bit gluey, as vegan cakes usually are, but I chocked it down.
The students have perfected the art of making the smallest cup of coffee last the longest time, I go through pangs of guilt as I sip my beverage, and I try not to stay after my drink has gone cold.
The students have that covered, theirs is cold from the start.
I often wonder, when I am writing my blog in a public place, what the other customers think I am doing. I peck away furiously then gaze into space looking for the next word, or some inspiration. I try to avoid the gaze of others in case they think I am writing about them, which may be true at the time, but I don’t want to be confronted as some kind of literary peeping tom.
I breath into the reminder of my coffee to keep it warm for a few more minutes until I start my walk back towards the doctor’s surgery.
I think I’ll allow myself ten minutes to make the walk, when in reality I could do it in three, even if I do it in slow motion.
I began to think of what I need to do when we get back. Hopefully another coat of finish on the top and legs, maybe start stripping the paint from the red dresser, oh not forgetting to coat the drawer handles. All this distractive thinking has cause me to miss my start back time.
I throw back the last Luke warm chunk of coffee, find the waste bin and leave in a dignified manner.
We got back and started work in the garage trying to catch up on our jobs.
Kelli suggested we go out to eat and asked me if we could, I thought for a moment before agreeing.
“ That’s good because I’ve booked the table for 8.15” she replied smugly.
Another Lifetime to go 