Entered a cafe and all I searched was for the closest plug point to set up my small office which travels with me in my bag. Settled on a table that faces the entire cafe and juxtaposed to the door gives you a view point and an opinion on things which I would not be forced to have otherwise. I wondered what is it that these places offer. It’s not the ambience and its definitely not the coffee. It’s the sheer utility. In a crowded city people would give anything to have two moments of peace to themselves.
This cafe has about 30 table and 90 seats and every single one of them is occupied, sparing those next to rest room entrance. And every table has a character of its own. Sitting across me is single largest target segment of any cafes , college students ( 2 guys and 3 sweet gals ). By the looks of it they have bunked college or tuitions, because the women are very conscious about the time and the guys act like they have nothing to lose, if they were to spend the night at the cafe. One single drink is stretched over a 2-3 hour period.And yes they proved me right; they left at a sharp round figure of the clock and went dutch on their bill.
On my right is a matrimonial scene that can happen only in India. A guy walked into a willing trap laid by a girl and her mother. Think about it this is the perfect place for matrimonial matchups. I mean no one passes a second glance to anyone, except those who love to watch people like me. More importantly having spent a good deal of ones college life in cafes and bars there is feeling of familiarity, which helps comfort your nerves in such a situation. Let me note that point in memory . Might be useful to me in the near future.
Three seats behind is a candidate being interviewed by a company. A very novel thought Mr Employer, but you could have lost the tie and the glum face. I have a big grouse with people who do not smile. They spread an energy void and happiness in the world seems to flicker every time someone frowns. It is said that a Smile confuses an approaching frown . Try that next time and try it every time. Smile, if not anything else you will feel great .
Tourists, Aha my favourite bunch. Whatever said and done we like a consistent experience when we go out. People all over India know that here is a place which I used to frequent back home/or during college . The menu does not change, the coffee does not but the crowd changes. It says a lot about people, that we do want change but as I mention in one of my older posts – one variable at a time.
It is ridiculously funny as how one bunch of people is using the same utilitarian value of a cafe for different purposes. One bunch uses cafe to hide behind the cover of anonymity where as another set come here to connect with people. I have always loved airports, stations, trains, buses and cafes for this single sole reason. You get to see people , observe people and learn from people.
At some level we are all more similar than different. While each ones life purpose is to be different it does not mean we need to disagree. Why should an argument have only two viewpoint of Right and Wrong ? Why are we not comfortable disagreeing and being comfortable about it ? I think conforming to what has been said without questioning is the biggest insult one can do to his / her own existence and intelligence. Understanding of science ,religion and human interactions have to stand the test of time and have to be questioned , pondered over and understood. Be it in a cafe or a class room questions have to be asked , opinions have to be formed, viewpoints have to be changed. Life is too large an entity for only a bunch of people to be right or wrong.
Regards
Pensive
I do not write in order to be understood;
I write in order to understand
