Thursday, Apr 9, 2026 at 1:24 PM

Cafe Observations

My housemate and I visited a trendy cafe, trying to step away from our usual neighborhood routine. As we sat there, a couple arrived carrying baggage. I’m trying to write everything down as it happens.

There was a pretty customer nearby, an Asian woman in bell-bottom jeans. Taking a deep breath, I managed to smile and hug my housemate. We drank light roast coffee—it was okay—and talked about the word "sonorous," meaning deep, rich sounds. I considered buying house-made cookies, but decided to stick with regular coffee.

Now, some "normie-type" folks have arrived. A few people seem unhappy with the seating arrangement. We are sitting side-by-side, watching a healthy-looking man sit down and connect headphones to a music-mixing device. He spent about five minutes unpacking and setting up his gear.

The Atmosphere

Management recently rearranged things here, and people still treat the shop like their own living room. My housemate kept his eyes on the musician. Initially, I didn't leave a tip at the counter, but I eventually bought an oatmeal cookie and tipped the server who is always here. A bit of cookie stuck to my hand, so I flicked it onto a napkin.

Outside, the police are present. My housemate thinks it’s because of some rough-looking folks nearby; it feels related. The background music is pop-rock with wailing female vocals. Everyone seems busy with something, except for my housemate, who looks a bit alone. A woman nearby is wearing relaxed clothes that obscure her gender.

Close Observations

I am now writing in my mini-pocket notebook with a gold fountain pen on narrow-ruled paper. Many of the nearby tables are empty. A man with a large blue jewel in his ring sat down heavily—thud!—at the table next to us. He has spent a lot of money on drinks and quickly plugged his MacBook Pro into a power outlet. The smell of bacon is in the air. On his other hand, I noticed a second ring with a brownish-red jewel.