I’ve seen him plenty of times before.
He’s usually there when I’m having coffee with my cycling mates on Saturday mornings. I’ve seen him as I’ve hurriedly walked past cafés on my way somewhere else. He’s been there when I’ve been enjoying a quiet cuppa with Pauline. He’s there in shopping centres, airports and cafés everywhere.
Sometimes he’s tall and middle aged. Other times he’s a little shorter and fairly young. He’s bald or with a full head of hair. He’s dozens of different people but I always want to be him.
Yesterday I was that guy.
I was the guy sitting on my own in the café, sipping a long black while reading a good book. There’s something very therapeutic about sitting in a busy café, letting the world buzz around nearby as you bury yourself in the pages.
I had to be at Mia Café in Inglewood yesterday for a Christmas afternoon tea. The rest of the family had to be across the other side of town so Pauline dropped me off an hour and a half early. That gave me the opportunity to partake in the magnificent pastime that I see so often yet so rarely enjoy.
Maybe I need to make that one of my New Year’s Resolutions for 2009. “Spend more time alone in cafés.” In 2009 I intend to be that guy a lot more often.
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Matt, it really is SO GOOD to be that guy. 🙂
Chad, don’t be jealous, just be that guy. Schedule an hour into your diary NOW! 🙂
I can’t do it, I’d rather stare at the people.
I want to be that guy!
I’m jealous that you got to be that guy just once! What I wouldn’t give to be that guy 🙂 Congratz.
I’m a people watcher too but getting buried in a book while everyone else buzzes around really has to be experienced. 🙂
I am that guy too, regularly. Something about the cafe atmosphere gets my creativity flowing, and I get a lot of writing done in cafes by myself – especially if I can savour a really good coffee.
Well done Rodney, I hope you get to enjoy more therapeutic solitude while the world buzzes round you.
i like to be that guy too – usually im using my laptop through – airport cafes are good for when im not flying business class and cant get into the qantas club – usually reading a book then!