Uncommonly Wealthy...
It's snowing...
Huge fluffy flakes of ice in unique patterns, falling ever so gently from the grey and clouded sky, which ends only as it disappears behind the red and orange mountains that surround Roanoke Valley.
I'm still in Virginia, still in Salem, still sitting at Mill Mountain Coffee and Tea. But now I sit alone.
Except, I'm not alone, but surrounded by people, who I'm guessing (or actually hoping beyond hope) are regulars at this cafe.
I'm surrounded by people, but not crowded. I have no sense of "crowded-ness" here in Salem, here in Virginia. I doubt they ever have crowds here, but only gatherings of people. People crowd at Starbucks, they gather at Mill Mountain. It's clouded, but not crowded.
Earlier it was crowded, but only for a moment. Dana was still here, and seven sixth grade girls came in, because school let out early, and I'm guessing they needed a place to hang out until their parents could pick them up. They came in, dragged a table next to ours, and began talking to us. To be fair, I started it, asking them if they were in the fourth grade -- an insult they quickly forgave, as they took control of my computer and started talking to my friends on Instant messenger. They were exhausting, but only because they were full of life. And very happy...
After they left, and Dana as well, a guy from London, England came over and asked for my help with his computer. In the deep British accent reminiscent of James Bond, he said, "I saw you with your Apple computer and I was wondering if you could be of assist me with my iTunes." I then spent the next several moments working with his PC laptop, deleting and rebooting and reinstalling files. When we finally got it working, he said, "Ah, brilliant. Can I buy you a cup of coffee for your trouble?" ( I would have given almost anything if he had offered a spot of tea instead), and his Music Store was set to pounds, and the clock on his computer was set to London times, and on the wallpaper of his desktop was a picture of a Great White shark leaping from the ocean, just off the coast of South Africa, where he had recently gone diving to view them. His wife is from Salem -- as I'm guessing all real people are. He is here for "holiday," which I know is the way you spell it, but I'm using the scare quotes to highlight the way he said it -- and note the lack of an article. Brilliant.
The light outside is growing dim, snow is falling from the sky, and my keyboard is being lit by the white lights that are hung on a Christmas tree right behind me. I just reached back and touched it. I have books all over my table, and a cup of coffee right next to my computer. I just took a drink. It's snowing outside.
A little boy with blonde hair just ran by me, stopped to say "hi", then pressed his face up against the window, before announcing, "It's snowing!"
I may never leave this place, the Commonwealth of Virginia...
Huge fluffy flakes of ice in unique patterns, falling ever so gently from the grey and clouded sky, which ends only as it disappears behind the red and orange mountains that surround Roanoke Valley.
I'm still in Virginia, still in Salem, still sitting at Mill Mountain Coffee and Tea. But now I sit alone.
Except, I'm not alone, but surrounded by people, who I'm guessing (or actually hoping beyond hope) are regulars at this cafe.
I'm surrounded by people, but not crowded. I have no sense of "crowded-ness" here in Salem, here in Virginia. I doubt they ever have crowds here, but only gatherings of people. People crowd at Starbucks, they gather at Mill Mountain. It's clouded, but not crowded.
Earlier it was crowded, but only for a moment. Dana was still here, and seven sixth grade girls came in, because school let out early, and I'm guessing they needed a place to hang out until their parents could pick them up. They came in, dragged a table next to ours, and began talking to us. To be fair, I started it, asking them if they were in the fourth grade -- an insult they quickly forgave, as they took control of my computer and started talking to my friends on Instant messenger. They were exhausting, but only because they were full of life. And very happy...
After they left, and Dana as well, a guy from London, England came over and asked for my help with his computer. In the deep British accent reminiscent of James Bond, he said, "I saw you with your Apple computer and I was wondering if you could be of assist me with my iTunes." I then spent the next several moments working with his PC laptop, deleting and rebooting and reinstalling files. When we finally got it working, he said, "Ah, brilliant. Can I buy you a cup of coffee for your trouble?" ( I would have given almost anything if he had offered a spot of tea instead), and his Music Store was set to pounds, and the clock on his computer was set to London times, and on the wallpaper of his desktop was a picture of a Great White shark leaping from the ocean, just off the coast of South Africa, where he had recently gone diving to view them. His wife is from Salem -- as I'm guessing all real people are. He is here for "holiday," which I know is the way you spell it, but I'm using the scare quotes to highlight the way he said it -- and note the lack of an article. Brilliant.
The light outside is growing dim, snow is falling from the sky, and my keyboard is being lit by the white lights that are hung on a Christmas tree right behind me. I just reached back and touched it. I have books all over my table, and a cup of coffee right next to my computer. I just took a drink. It's snowing outside.
A little boy with blonde hair just ran by me, stopped to say "hi", then pressed his face up against the window, before announcing, "It's snowing!"
I may never leave this place, the Commonwealth of Virginia...
posted by twodollarshoe at 4:46 PM
1 Comments:
The Commonwealth, and the Cassells, welcome you anytime! You AND your marroon UVA hat.
Love,
K
Post a Comment
<< Home