Stranger Danger: Starbucks Edition

As many of my friends will tell you (if you know them, which you probably don't), I have a knack for striking up life-altering conversations with strangers. I consider this a talent and a hobby. They (my friends) consider this a death wish. Just a little back story.

Yesterday, I decided to sit in Starbucks and knit. I thought that I needed some "alone" time, whatever that is, and I didn't feel like walking all of the way back to my residence hall. A few minutes later, an older man with a large book took a seat in one of the comfy chairs next to me. At first, I was completely thrown off. Why is this guy sitting by me when there are other seats available?

We didn't really look at each other for a while, but then he asked me about my knitting (which I am obsessed with and will talk about for a very long time to anyone who is unfortunate enough to ask). Bam. We ended up talking about his book, a guide to trees around the country, and all of the trees that this man has seen (which is a lot).

It was beautiful. I have always loved trees, but this guy really took it to a whole new level. He even found me some acorns so that I could plant my very own tree (which is something I have always kind of wanted to do). It was awesome.This guy was awesome. The conversation that we had may or may not have made my day.

Look around, find your own stranger, and converse. You never know what you will learn..

Camp Questions

A few days ago, while going through my camp's (I guess that I can call it that now, since I've decided for sure that I'm going there) Facebook page, I found a counselor that goes to my college. Most of them come from Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan, or different parts of Europe, so it was nice to find someone from my area.

I messaged him, and we met at Starbucks. Beforehand, I was completely freaked out, since his profile was very nondescript, but he was a cool guy. Props to everyone who can online date/ go on blind dates, it is scary as hell. We ended up talking for three hours, and he answered every question that I had and then some that I hadn't even thought of before. It was great.

A Coffee Experience

     I can't remember if I told you guys this or not, but I drink tea. Black tea, white tea, green tea, cookie tea, tea tea tea. And water, I guess. And alcohol. No coffee. Pretty much ever.  All of my friends drink coffee on a regular basis, and while they dabble in the deliciousness that is tea, they pretty much stay away from it.

     Saturday, that changed. My two friends, Danielle and Maddie, and I, all went to go grab dinner before Maddie was off to her piano concert thing (for a class) and Danielle was off to do homework. My evening was most likely going to consist of climbing my own homework mountain, obviously I win the 'party animal of the year' award, I will hold for applause. Until a cookie fell from the balcony.

     I looked up, and it was two guys, Matt and Henry, that I was on an "oh-it's-you"-wave-and-walk-away basis with. I have had a few conversations with them previously, but we were never close. I briefly mentioned that I wanted to sit at this really awesome table that overlooks campus, and the three of us were off.

     The conversation at that table turned into a lust for an adventure. The rest sounds like a college remake of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

If You Give a College Student a Coffee

If you give a college student a coffee, they will ask the Starbucks baristas for four shots of espresso and a mystery drink, due to the aforementioned college students' and baristas' boredom and aforementioned lust for adventure. This will result in some amusing conversation and delicious drinks.

When they are finished with their coffee, they (myself and Henry, since Matt bought something without caffeine) will most likely be bouncing off the walls as they walk back to their residence hall to plot their night, which will make them perfect targets for the film majors looking for extras for a movie.

In order to be extras, the college students ask for direction on what they should be doing. When they receive these instructions, they ask for a reason behind them, to which the filmers don't answer. The college students let themselves be taped walking, and then walk away.

Being extras from the film has given the college students the idea to watch the filmer's films on the internet, which are awful.

The annoyance over the suckish films inspires the college students to go to one of the student's abandoned fraternity house (because frat implies bro status, and he is "not a bro") and burn things, creating one of the crappiest fires this college student has ever seen (all paper, my inner camp counselor was highly disappointed).

The burned papers and books warm up the college students for a short time, but eventually they get cold and hungry. The college students then ask for a pizza, half bacon and half cheese (because the main college student is a vegetarian, and appreciated it quite a lot).

 The pizza makes the students thirsty, which causes them to consume more coffee, which makes them restless and overenergized, so they ask one of the college students (Matt) to turn on some music, while they peoplewatch as the 2:30AM-ers return from parties and bars.

Watching the walkers makes the college students want to take a walk, so they do, taking their time around railroad tracks and spinning in quiet empty streets. The students see a school with swings, so, as mature adults, they make a beeline to them, talking and hopscotching and monkey-bar-ing.

All of this made them very hungry, so they stopped at a diner (they still exist apparently) and ordered food. While eating this food, they need to be entertained, so they asked for a newspaper to color on. Because it was around 5:30 at this time, the students also asked for more coffee (Henry and I, not Matt).

Due to his lack of coffee, Matt one of the college students was very tired, so he asked to walk back so that he could sleep. The other two college students (Henry and me) were still wired, so they asked to watch the sunrise. They didn't have a nice view from their room, so they asked to go to the lounge, with it's wall-to-wall windows. They couldn't just sit on the floor, so they asked for two extremely comfortable couches.

They asked for the sunrise to be beautiful and it was. They asked for happy music to listen to, and they listened appreciatively. Henry asked the other college student to hang out with him sometime, to help him figure out how to use his tea leaves and visit him at work, and she agreed.

The End.