George is man in his mid-50s who recently started coming to Starbucks. He is medium build, brown hair and eyes, and likes to order regular coffee. He never finishes it and never goes back for a refill.
George was a smoker and used to be married. Slight shortness of breath, and the outer edge of a nicotine patch below the left sleeve of his shirt show it's a recent stoppage and not voluntary. His involuntary preoccupation with the "phantom ring" on his left ringer and his mildly unkempt look indicate a recent loss of his wife also. The unkempt look (divorced guys actually dress better after divorce) indicates his former wife likely died. There is a distinct difference it the eyes of a man who went through an unwanted divorce and one who loses his partner to death. The fact that he doesn't have the ring on is an attempt to heal. Those of you have gone through this know how hard that is.
George has a phone but never looks at it while drinking his coffee. He mostly just sits and sometimes looks at other people. The only time he seems interested is when he watches a couple (man and woman) talking. That is the only time he smiles.
Sometimes he brings a book but he just flips pages pretending to read it. The times I have noticed him here with a book it has always been the same book.
George stands out in a Starbucks. Most people that come here run in and then out with their coffee. Half of those that stay are in groups. The rest are here stuck with their head in a laptop, phone, or book.
George is none of those. He is alone but is not used to being alone. He's trying to be close to people. He won't talk to anyone. But that is why he came here. He knows people don't bother you at Starbucks. They ignore you here.
That's okay. He is not looking for anything. He just wants to be near somebody.
P. S. As an afterthought I felt I might have described this situation as a very sad one. Surely it is, but more than that I think that the fact that he is out and about is very hopeful. We can't control everything that happens to us, but we can control how we react to it. I honestly think I won't be seeing too much of George soon.
YOU ARE READING
People of Starbucks
Non-FictionThis is a series of stories based on observations I have made while drinking coffee at Starbucks. Years of training as an investigator gives me little choice but to accidentally look into the lives of people I see. I don't do this so I can have some...
