The day of the tribal coffee shop...
Do you have a favourite coffee shop? I think we are almost tribal as we gather for our often daily coffee tipple
Usually we see the same faces every time. We maybe smile in acknowledgement
without really knowing any or many of them often not stopping to talk as they
have their own “tribe” of friends to sit with and gather information and news of the day.
When a stranger approaches people often look up..do we know you..oh heaven
forbid a stranger approaches. The said strangers sit unsure of what to do, to
order at the counter or wait to be seated, or just sit and see what
happens.
When you become “a regular” as it were the owner..Hi Jenna/ Kelli working
away in the kitchen..always knows your name and a smile often stopping for a
chat if they have time. Everyone likes to be acknowledged and to feel as if they
are at least known. Almost like to be one of a family...a need to belong maybe.
Apart from knowing your name they always know your regular order...two
large cappuccinos!! Easy and quick service it appears at the table as if by
magic within minutes. We Just sit in silence and start checking the phone or a
read of the paper if there is one and catch up on the daily news.
Easy, quick and efficient service. But to go where another tribe gathers
and there’s that certain look..a stranger..oooh...maybe that’s why we prefer to
stay within “our own” as it were.
There are numerous choices these days there’s six coffee places just within
walking distance from here where I live. They all seem to do well and are busy.
Weekends I usually avoid our local coffee shops because of all the “interlopers”
usually from out of town. They form a queue and often sit on the wall outside
hovering like a pack of vultures eyeing off a table of four or six. It’s hard to
relax when people are urging you to finish your coffee so they can have theirs.
Also if its breakfast time it can be a guilty feeling knowing “they who lay in
wait” are desperate for your table...and hungry!
It’s funny isn’t it. most of us have coffee machines at home but we still
prefer the tribal gathering of our local coffee shop. Maybe it goes back to
cave man times..the gathering of a clan. Maybe these days we have too much money
and think nothing of paying four or five dollars for a cup.
Anyway we enjoy it and if for even an hour we can gather within our tribe
where’s the harm.
Mmmmm coffee :)
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