The Coffee Shop Chronicles No. 11

So much of what I do these days is based on what the weather will be for that day. This week's schedule, that started out so open, filled quickly with sunny day activities; lunch with a friend on Monday and driving to Grand Rapids for some furniture and ahem…clothes shopping on Wednesday. The rest of the week was filled with rainy/snowy day activities; working out at the gym on Tuesday and the coffee shop on Thursday.

Thursday was a chunky rain day, solid drops of rain that made a chunk noise when they hit the roof of my car. On my drive to the coffee shop I noticed this car parked on the side of the road alongside a corn field.

Unusual to say the least, as I did a double take I noticed a guy in full winter gear, cross country skiing across the narrow edge of snow on the perimeter of the corn field.

Let me just say that it was 32 degrees outside and not much wind. I have a feeling he got hot quickly. Either this guy was desperate to get one last ski adventure in for the year or he didn't pay attention to the weather forecast and had planned his day off hoping for a sunny day.

I arrived at the coffee shop at quarter past eight.

The Order Taker/Brenda was behind the register. I know it has been a few weeks since I have been to the coffee shop. She recognized me but couldn't quite come up with my name. After she took my name for the order, she repeated it in conversation a few times, committing it to memory. When she brought my Chai out, she again used my name. I better go back next week to make it a little easier for her to remember.

I tried a new muffin this week. The Mounds muffin, coconut cake inside, surrounded by chocolate cake on the outside. Quite yummy. While I was on the cruise, I tried to be as gluten-free as possible. Since home I find myself wanting to continue that lifestyle choice, so my morning at the coffee shop is my one treat for the week.

I chose my table this week based specifically on who was at the next table. At the table to my right sat a group of five ladies in their 70's and 80's. I find listening to the conversations of ladies of this age group the most enjoyable of all the conversations I eavesdrop on. One lady had a Dutch lilt to her voice. I love listening to that.

One thing these ladies always spot right away is when one of them has a new article of clothing. "Is that a new jacket?" Which leads to a conversation on what everybody has gotten new since they last met. One lady says "I got new Khaki…" then she makes a horizontal sawing motion about mid calf on her leg, where the hem of the pants would end. One of the other ladies says "oh Capri's". The first lady "Yes that's it, capri's". Then they were talking about the Olympics, but the storyteller couldn't remember the word Olympics, so she says, "you know those games that were just in Russia". Their conversations would turn on a dime, one minute one of them is talking about her grandkids, and the next minute one of them is talking about a friend of hers who needs to get both her feet amputated. Yikes!

I would say the coffee shop is busier on Thursday mornings than on Tuesday mornings when I usually come. Most of the tables were full on this morning. A couple of bigger groups, my table of five ladies and then another group of six. Who were an odd mix of people, but if I had to guess I would say they all ride motorcycles and are in a group that rides together.

The rest of the tables were filled with groups of two. Some friends having coffee together, and some making a business connection.

A lady probably close to my age stopped by the table of the older ladies. I gathered from the conversation that they use to all go to church together. The debate began a short time into the conversation, Traditional vs. Contemporary Worship service. The age old debate and one that will never be won by either side. In my mind people should attend which ever worship service makes them the most happy. The older folks quite often don't want to hear drums and electric guitars, I get that, some times I don't either. The younger folks no longer want to hear the booming pipe organ. I get that too. Although sometimes I miss hearing the organ. An organ sound played on a keyboard is just not the same.

Times will change naturally without forcing change on those who don't want it. The debate continued as I packed up to leave. I doubt either side left the coffee shop with a burning desire to try a different style service this coming Sunday. Be happy where you are and let others be happy where they are. This can be said about many things in life.