stood up

i got all fresh and clean and came to starbucks to converse with abi in china and she stood me up, or maybe she thinks i stood her up because i was 20 minutes late, but still.

i got bored and imagined this is what i would have said to her had she not stood me up and not been able to talk back but just listen:

It took me 25 minutes to walk here and I have to go to the bathroom but I don't want leave my computer so I will tough it out 'til I gotta go. Sitting in a coffee shop is so so strange, I feel pretentious with my laptop. Did you know Saturday mornings are preserved, apparently, for families with toddlers? And the line right now is pratically out the door. Did you perchance fall asleep? I ordered a 'vanilla creme' thinking I was being all daring and experimental and it turns out it's just a steamer. i drink those bitches all the time. But when I ordered lady barista was all like "Would you like some food to go with your warmness?" and I said no because I had surreptitiously eaten a banana and wheat english muffin before stepping out, and then the gentleman barista was like..."frozen or steamed?" and lady barista said, "Steamed" with such a finality and I think we all felt that "STEAMED" signified, yes, the end of summner and warmth and the beginning of coldness and winter. The lady barista smiled what I will call a wry snmile and I merely waited to warm my hands on the 'vanilla creme'.

People keep trying to wheel their unnaturally large strollers by me and my compu-briefcase purchased for 10% of it's market vaklue through my job, (that's a perk of working in the promo product industry) and apologizing for rolling over the strap, which refuses to stay anywhere but in the way, and they don't realize how much I don't care, because, well I don't really.

It is gray and cold here in Chi town. (Kari says Shytown) Not too windy. My new neighborhood has a lot of German bars. One Indian restaurant. Two italian restaurants. A modern Mexican fusion place, not sure about that but it looks posh. A bar/diner called the Daily that has just about everything on a menu you could want including shepards pie, tater tots, nachos, pizza and sandwiches and more! Never had shepards pie but that the menu has it is oh so fabulous.

Now I just need to find the all night diner and I'm set.

The library is not too far away, and I have seen several mail boxes, but no post office, yet. I live a mere BLOCK away from a bowling alley. One block! Now if I could only find some bowling partners. There is a movie theater close too. Woot.

I am looking around now. The families are not very inclined to stick around. They get their coffee and leave pretty quickly, eager to keep the rambunctious children on the move, changing scenery=distracted and quieter children. That is a guess. There were two three year old twin girls in here earlier. Matching pink wind breakers. Side pony tails. One holding a pastry the size of her head and frosting stuck on her cheeks. Father turns around from the counter where he gets his coffee, spys the girls several feet away and says "You girls sharing?"
Girl with pastry takes one small hand off her pastry and points to her sister "She doesn't have one." then puts her hand back on the pastry and brings it to her mouth for another large bite. Father looks on and says "hence, the SHARING!"

Twin sister, meanwhile, is oblivious. Clearly not interested in the pastry. More interested in the velvet chair. The floor, the other patrons, me. I smile at her, she smiles at me--father notices and smiles at me and they go away. His smile was not so much wry as, thanks for noticing, aren't they precious, I love them and you will too! and I do-- I love children. Can't help it. That was when I ordered my 'vanilla creme'.

Now it is more than an hour and half since our date and while Skype says you are there, you are not, if you were I would ask you if you could believe it has been more than a month since I have had a cigarette? You would tell me something then, what, I can guess but I will never know because instead of actually having this conversation, I am simply imagining it. I have made this trip to Starbucks worthwhile, even though I don't drink coffee and missed our date, I have begun research for my next article. The magazine is out now. It looks fabulous. Last night was the premiere party and I went with Kari, Misha, Tiffany, and Iris. And we looked fabulous. We saw a fashion show and I met the Editor in Chief face-to face. She is awesome. The magazine is officially a non-profit, from now on donating it's overhead to organizations whose goals and purposes align with the magazines'. Abi, if we were talking now I would tell you to go check out the website, www.pistilmag.com where you will not be able to read my article, but you could see some cool graphics and pictures and order a copy if you wanted.

The strollers are still streaming in, one family has settled in at the table in front of me and they have a three year old girl and a newborn. Newborns are sure funny looking. Anyhow, I think, it is time to trek it back to the apartment that I love so much. And maybe take a nap. Goodbye Abi. Goodnight. Until next time!