Saturday, January 16, 2016

Writing In A Cafe - A Cliche?

I'm trying hard. Believe me. I'm waiting for inspiration. I've had the coffee. I've put music on. But everything around is either bothering me or seems much more interesting than writing.

The coffee cup tray is intruding into the space where my tab is and now I have precariously balanced it on side. The paper triangle advertising the new menu of the café has fallen down twice and had to be retrieved. Everything is running out of battery. I wish I had sat next to the TV which was showing some nice songs on VH1 instead of three loud guys.

People watching – Ah, is there anything better to do than sit idly and fantasise a life for them. There are three occupied tables in the café. The one furthest from me has two girls chatting away busily. The one facing me is OK looking and so the other must be better. Damn if only I was sitting next to that TV. Double damn.

Another table is occupied by a couple. Unmarried by the looks. Likely to marry and then start fighting in a few months. Ha ha, take that. Still, I envy them for the life that I also had. Free( r) to do stuff, withdraw into a personal space, come back when required. But I also wish them the comfort of a relationship, the strength and the security one draws from it and of course, children. The pride and joy of our lives and the masters of our free time.

The café feels better now although the waiter has kindly put on the overhead lights which are now glaring off my screen. The TV has gone off, the waiter has carried the tray away and Apple products are showing a decent battery life.

The three guys on the table have also piped down. When I came in there were only two and a third friend joined them just then. He is wearing an incredibly irritating attire. Sunglasses propped the back on his shaven head, green shirt with top two buttons open, white veshti. He opens the discussion with the declaration that he is the best husband in the world. His wife is harassing him and is also secretly fighting with his parents. He is ok with her leaving him but wants to keep the kids. Then he takes out money from his pocket and pays off the two guys. Then he starts asking his friends which movie has tickets available. I'm bewildered by the change in topics and this is when the ear plugs go into my ears.

I get a call from a friends and I talk for about 20 minutes. By then almost everyone leaves and new people come in. Two pretty women occupy the table left by the guys. A mom and her son come and go and another mom son combo walks in. The café now feels cozy. A glass walled bright place with music and chatter. If only the coffee was better and the food was healthy. Life ebbs and flows. I too decide to move out but the temptation to stay a bit longer is pulling me. So adios my friends. Maybe we will come across each other in another café. 

3 comments:

Lisa said...

A slice of life... Nice ;)

Sudha said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sudha said...

Nice description esp the veshti guy. Sounds like a typical Chennai character