Suspect Behavior

Suspect Behavior

I was in a Starbucks the other day, but I fear it could have been a Tim’s, Williams or Coffee Culture just as easily.  I was profoundly disturbed at what I saw, especially considering it is the Christmas season.  

As I sat with my cell phone and Grisham novel drinking my Latte Grande and enjoying the ambience of the over heated cafe I noticed an odd looking guy sitting at a table not too far away.  He was dressed well enough, sipping his coffee, but there was something very odd, very off, very disturbing about this young guy.  I wasn’t certain as to what was wrong with the picture before me as I occasionally looked up from my book at this young man.

It wasn’t the rips in his trendy blue jeans, or his pea jacket with the long scarf.  It was...I just didn’t know at first.  I was agitated and disturbed that I couldn’t put my finger on what it was that bothered me about this guy.  I kept looking up and around the room hoping I would get some inspiration. 

Beside me, and across from me, were young people, old people on their lap-tops, talking and texting on their cell phones, reading their books and then it hit me like a hundred pound bag of ethically and organically grown coffee beans.  I looked at the odd stranger yet again and observed: where was his I-pad? His lap top? A book? A cell phone?  He had none of those things, not one. And yet he walked amongst us in a public cafe.

That’s the whole point...

There is this guy

in this coffee shop

sitting at that table

not on his cell

not on his laptop

or I pad

not reading a book

Just drinking coffee

like some psychopath.

This may not be an isolated case.  There may be others out there just like him. Sitting.  We are not alone.