Friday, March 14, 2014

The Coffee Shop Chronicles No. 9 - A Special Marquette Edition

Dear readers, as many of you know, Paisley Rain Boots is soaking up the sunshine of the tropical south this week. My hope is that she will bottle up a bit of that warmth and sunshine and send it up to me in the great white north. I, her daughter, am writing in her place this week; filling in for The Coffee Shop Chronicles. Marquette has few coffee shops to pick from; over the past year I have fallen for Babycakes, going there once a week to do a bit of writing. My observations are less in depth, and probably less humorous from those of Paisley Rain Boots, but all the same, I hope you enjoy. 

A hum of chatter fills the room. Every open space is filled with the voice of one or another. 
There are the three in the corner, opposite the one in which I have taken up residency. College students tucked into the l-shaped booth: one boy, two girls. They are done with the day's demands of class. They are out, making their rounds on this blustery day where the temperature reads in the single digits. I overhear their next stop, the local brewery, less than a block from the coffee shop. Only college students would move from coffee shop to brewery.
Then there are the pairs. 
The two girls, in their early twenties, deep in conversation. Their large ceramic mugs out in front of them: emptied. They never intended to stay this long. They have spent the last hour telling one story after the other, playing catch up after last weeks mid-semester break. They have taken this hour to pull away from the textbooks full of terms, the research papers waiting to be typed, and the exam that needs prepping for to connect and reconnect with one another. 
The second pair. Two men. Their lives are an open avenue. College degrees under their belt, but unsure of which path to take. Scared and not ready to leave the comforts of this college town. Not ready to say farewell to the great lake, ski hills, nights out on the town, and even the ten a.m classes. For now they sit, coffee in front of them, and push away the unknown of reality. 
Only three voices remain silent. 
One. He has been there for hours, bent over his laptop and on his fourth cup of coffee. He is writing, or rather typing, with a few select books open on the table before him. A graduate student nearing the end, working to perfect his thesis. He, too, like the pair of men is feeling the pressures of the open avenue of life that lies ahead of him. But, for now, the thesis paper is his focus. 
Two. Another man. A cup of soup in a to-go cup in front of him, though he doesn't seem to be going anywhere. His cup of water still full rests beside him. He seems to be breathing in the moment; taking a moment to sit, eat, and think about this game of life we are all players in.
And last, me. I'm tucked in the corner table, alongside the big front window. I find myself surrounded by papers filled with scrawled handwriting: words of story and thought. Wondering which words to use and which ones to save for another time. Boots off, chai latte long gone, and The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis open to his piece on "Learning in War-Time". I'm caught in the moment.

The coffee shop: a place for conversation and growth, learning and discovering. A place to think, to write, and simply, a place to sit. A place to delight in and rejoice in. A place to be in the moment. As C.S. Lewis once said, "Never . . . commit your virtue or your happiness to the future"; rather, rejoice in the happiness of the moment you are in.

Readers, you can read more by me here.

15 comments:

Karen Lakis said...

I really hope your mom is enjoying her vacation - and it sure would be great I'd she could bring that sunshine back with her. I chuckled at the thought of going from a coffee a hop to a brewery! College towns are a lot of fun! You did an awesome job filling in - have a great weekend!

Lynne said...

Momma would be happy and proud! I liked the Marquette addition. I liked the look of your site too . . . are those your very tanned, sandaled feet?

Barb said...

Hope your Mom is having great fun - in the meantime, you did her proud with your installment.

Ahayes1225 said...

Very nice, you mother talks about you often or should I say writes... I sure hope she does bring back the warmer weather with her.

Dotti said...

Welcome, Mallory! You've done a beautiful job with this post. Your mother will be proud. I enjoyed reading it and wish you the best as you finish out your school year.

Cathy H. said...

Mallory, wonderful post filling in for your mom! I can see you have your mom's talent for writing! It's fun seeing your coffee shop in a college town! Tell mom we miss her and hope she's having a wonderful time!

Viv@Thoughts from the Desktop said...

Wonderful post, I can see through your eyes the story unfolding thousands of miles away from where I live. I can now picture you there.

overthefencephotos said...

You have your mother's gift! Thank you for filling her seat in the coffee shop. I hope you are enjoying your college time. It really is a special time in your life. Hope your mom had a great time! Thanks

Helen said...

Lovely observations! I hope you had cake!

Northwood Jane said...

thank you oh so much everyone for the sweet comments.

Suburban Girl said...

Well done. Your style is different but very inviting just the same. I'll stop by your site too.

Katie said...

such wonderful observations about people and life.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for satisfying our need for the coffee shop chronicles this week! I enjoyed your observations and your voice. Your mom is lucky to have you and so are we!

Michelle B said...

I so enjoyed your writing! I found myself sitting in the coffee shop as the fourth silent voice. Loved the quote too!

Naomi said...

You are an excellent character sketcher!