Cafe culture is part and parcel the people watching experience with a dash of eavesdropping. Is it to live vicariously? Secretly compare notes on normalcy? Bee a bizzybody?
Lately, it's none of the above. In fact, my wish list this week: headphones. Block out the mundane chatter at the next table.
My little get away to the cozy corner of ___ (you name it cafe..) Seems to always be filled with the same sweatpants clad women, discuss the following three items : 1.) nanny/housekeeper/gardener complaints. 2.) frustration with a class/routine/lunch scene at Courtside. 3.)Contempt for husband/boyfriend/partner.
The inane drone of these ladies who coffee/lunch while sporting the self loathing bag lady look complete with a baseball cap sans make-up seemingly lacking any wisp of care for presentation of self to the world. It simply boggles the mind that eavesdropping has become so pedestrian.
Could it be that conversation seems to be going the same direct route as the lost art of letter writing, dressing presentably- straight to the Smithsonian. Why? Maybe the "could care less" about looking and sounding so completely vapid? My guess: the water supply here in Los Gatos contains a stepford like additive rendering those who imbibe devoid of a singularly compromised sense of acceptable fill-in -the-blank_________ (sense of self worth, why bother, who cares about personal grooming.)
I know what you're thinking...Why perseverate on the mundane with all of the problems/diversions/real world concerns. Well the angst would most definitely fade if I had an outlet to channel this, i.e. intelligent prater to eavesdrop upon. This dilemma is unfortunately completely grey scale as I see it. Black & White has an edge- a mood, an opinion. An edge so welcome, but so foreign, so sadly missed.
My rant about this connect-the-dots exercise of cafe experience is a big mental vacuum. It's nice to people watch, but that's not enough.....
Glad that I brought this weeks' Economist with me, all is not lost.
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