Funny thing happened at the new coffee shop

[Drider_it]

Why does life throw us so many curves and strangs occurances?

for instance..

In our small town a new coffee/book store opened. And as one that enjoys all aspects of coffee, and god knows I love a good book, I found myself drawn there today as I was headed home from a short day at work.

Walking in ahead of me was two grey haired elderly ladies. I thought to myself 'great its a granny bood store. But putting aside my initial thought I walked in.

The store clerk or what not was bent over placing a book on the shelf. Ok so she was bent over, but not with her back to me. All I could see was the top of her head.

To understand my nature a bit better, and for some reason I've never posted of this. I'm all about a persons eyes. If you can't look at me in the eye's, I'll have little at all to do with you ever. I write you off outta my history and forget your trapsed in my life. I'm like that. The eyes show you everything there is about a persons nature. The way the eye lids move and such. Everything is revealed in a heart beat of a wink.

Anyways, back to the story.

I'm pouring over the books when I am greeted with a heart felt "Hello" from the clerk who turns out to be the owner. I shake her hand.

She stand about 5'2" shoulder length blonde full bodied hair. She is no way from being fat or well rounded. A comfortable medium. But her eyes, the same eyes I said goodbye to 12 years ago. No, I never bothered to go out with her. As I saw it, she orbited in a far higher social structure than I would be allowed in. But, seeing how band memebers opperate in a world of thier own we were all the same in our own world.

Like a small sun bursting into existance. Recoginiton crossed her face, yet again the eyes pulled in everything.

Can one express the sight of someone traveling back in years and searching of the times they spent around someone and freeze one aspect, in that they hold that image they once knew? close....

She comparied her memory with the present and ... heh.. I saw her take in a quick breath. Flustered would be a good example to use here for the way she looked. I got a bit intimitated then. I'm always self aware of those that belittled I and mine back in highschool. Although she never did her friends more than made up for it. But again that was due to highschool social structures and all. Alas, I always treated her with the utmost respect.

I told her my name and her face flustered. "oh my god, you turned out cute" which knowing her in the way i did and well, still do. I'm a "hottie" I guess.

and then we talk abit while i suggest a selection of books she should order for her store, and seeing how she has a used book section, I offered some of my meger collection for her store for free.. I have well over 6k scifi, horry and fantasy books. I told her I'll have enough for her to have a full selecton by next week. This I would do for her for free, cuz I'm a fan of anyone with an imagination.

Then her friend walks in and says hi.. yet another girl from my highschool years. I must admid that the years have been kind to them both.

Her friend did a double take at me as she walked up as the memories came and went.

And yet to their supprise they find out just how intelligent I am and how much of a social person I can be. As I'm talking to the owner, the new arrival sets down and the three way conversation starts in. Seeing how neither of us spent any real time together, I was relieved in the fact of not being drawn in on "good old times" and was happy to discuss events after highschool and all.

Then I notice outta the corner of my eye, the new arrival give me a very approving up and down once over which ended up being sly hidden by a wide smile as I turned to her to say something. Funny how I noticed it, but kept my cool about it.

All in all, its one of the frist times I've ran into someone from my old highschool days, that I enjoyed talking to them. And have them realize I haven't changed a bit other than the glasses I wear. And that I've lost a little weight and toned some. well happens when you do physical labor doing concrete. But over all my physical shape is still the same and my size.

Just goes to show that person you never talk could end up being one you will regret all your life never becoming a closer friend to them. Now that its over and done with, I got a cool place to hang out and bring friends to that I know I and they will be welcome before walking into the place.

I'm even thinking about offering up suggestion and free labor to spruce up the place. Heck if im gonna hang out there, might as well help keep it going.


All in all, I feel better than I have been in well as long as i can remember. Although every day is special, just a moment in time like that makes it that much more.

*ok so ends my moment in the "wonder years" lol*

[Temporary_User]

wow, im glad I happened to check out "page 2" and glad to hear about your day, even if the day happened a little while ago.

[ruggerp11]

That was a very interesting way to write that story. The reader wasn't told everything specifically so we had to fill in the gaps, which in turn caused us (or rather me) to then imagine what highschool was like for the both of you.

I liked it, and your story, thank you.

[Daniel_]

One question - fact or fiction?

Suplemental - If fact - did you date her, if fiction, will you write more?

It's nice, eiter way.

[Ishmal]

Originally Posted by Drider_it

I have well over 6k scifi, horry and fantasy books.

your my god!

[analog]

I can't believe this got buried. Great story, man! And hey, anything happen between you and the girl?

[tooth]

Some people have a gift for telling a story. You have it, sir.

Here's me telling this story...

" I went to that new coffee shop today. It turns out, some girl I knew from high school runs the place. She ran around with a bunch of bitches in school. But, we talked for a while and she was actually pretty cool. One of her old friends came in and talked to us for a while too. I caught her checking me out. I'll be drinking alot more coffee now."

... See? Your version was much better wasn't it?

[Mister Coaster]

Although your story is MUCH better than my little post-high-school brush I'm about to mention, there are a lot of parallels...

It was only a few years after graduation, and I found myself playing midnight broom hockey with a bunch of co-workers. We had to wait for some actual hockey players to vacate the ice before we could go out. As they did, one of the players sees me and his face lights up as if I just told him that he won the lotto.

I'll now tell you that I was, without question, in the lowest of the low ranking "geek" circles in high school. I was both a computer nerd AND a band geek. Can you get lower on the high school totem? I think not.

With that being said, the player coming off the ice, I instantly recognized. He was prom king, captian of the football team, captian of the wrestling team. He wore his hair in a mowhawk, and was easily the most popular dude on campus. And here he is, shaking my hand and smiling ear to ear, extatic to see someone from his past. The dude NEVER said 2 words to me in 4 years! We have nothing in common except for the fact that we graduated the same year.

I didn't know what to say, as our social circles were SO FAR apart. Frankly I was shocked he remembered me at all. Basically that was it, a quick handshake and a "Hey, how you doing? Good to see you."

I realize there is no real "payoff" to this story other than the following fact. It just struck me as odd that these social cliques that formed in HS are so quickly abandonded. Once you get into the "real world" any familiar face in the crowd must be worth talking to.

[JustJess]

Again, not as good a story, but...
I was not a geek, but not popular either... I was a theater chick, and very outgoing, very opinionated and outspoken. I was an outsider, basically. Never dated much within my own HS because most that I was interested in turned me down. I wasn't bad looking, but I guess I was too aggressive.
Senior year of college, I was at a bar and met up with a friend from HS who went to a neighboring college. A male HS friend was visiting her. First words out of his mouth upon seeing me: "JustJess!! You got HOT!!! Jesus, I just got fat!"



That made my night, anyway.

[Redlemon]

Originally Posted by Mister Coaster

I realize there is no real "payoff" to this story other than the following fact. It just struck me as odd that these social cliques that formed in HS are so quickly abandonded. Once you get into the "real world" any familiar face in the crowd must be worth talking to.

Very true; the only person from HS that I have any contact with anymore was barely on the periphery of my circle of friends when I was in high school; now she's a great buddy, and was a reader at my wedding ceremony. My best friend from HS, who was one of my groomsmen, has since vanished off of the face of the earth; I can't even find him through Google.

[ngdawg]

I had such a lousy existence during high school that I have not gone to reunions, bothered to look anyone up. I signed up to "classmates.com", having gotten an email about an upcoming reunion party. Two of the 'boys' who were at least nice to me had their email addys so I contacted them. One did not respond, but the second did and now we email back and forth on occasion.
Pictures of the last reunion were posted and I only recognized 3 people, possibly a fourth, but wasn't too sure.
The simple fact is, we mature and while the negatives might leave scars if they were bad enough, life goes on and more important things take over. Will I go to any future reunions? Probably not, but I would not rule out meeting up and spending time with some of them.
Interesting, in talking about cliques-one of the most popular girls in my class could not be located at all. People were found in CA, SC, PA,TX etc...she simply seems to have vanished.

[Daniel_]

As a general rule, I have come to the conclusion that the people I meet from my high school are nice to me in inverse proportion to how well we got on back then.

The old friends drift apart, and the people I barely knew greet me like the prodigal.

I used to get invlved in a number of high visibility projects at school - I wrote and starred in a comedy revue show a couple of times, and ran a spoof candidate in a school election once (as manager), so many people knew me but I didn't know them.

[Drider_it]

oh its fact.. but i like details.. and the way i see the world is how i type.. not the usual response or starters those that know me are used to.. but when i have some impact in my life happen i tend to write like that.

alas.. im married and happy with 3 children so nothing will come of it all. But I do have a friend i can go talk to when i need one. that i am greatful for. With my suggestions and help the store is doing great now. And a whole new cliental has entered the doors. Strange how a small type town has so many people eager to read books.