SwirlingFire: Coffee and WiFi

Coffee and WiFi

I’m sat in the little coffee place I’ve walked passed a thousand times.  It’s the only place open locally to sit and write with WiFi.  It’s full of men having very late breakfast style plates of food.  It’s bustling and very popular with the non coffee house type set one normally sees on a regular basis.  On entry the voice tones were hushed.  I placed my order with a teenage girl at the counter, she could barely speak English.  Her smile was beautiful.  From the corner of my eye I saw people nudging each other – obviously I’m not their usual customer.  There was something very welcoming about the place as someone wiped down my chosen table and held a chair for me.  Dumping my shopping on the chair nearest the window I was told they’d bring my coffee to me. I’ve sat here more than half an hour.

It’s a test of self to enter a place of middle eastern men as a single white woman.  That’s not a stereotypical slur nor anything remotely racist.  Any female walking past similar establishments knows exactly the ‘feeling’ I’m referencing.  It’s been an empowering act for me.  Men have made eye contact.  Not sleazy – even an apology as someone swore.

It’s been a refreshing tonic for myself today.

I’m hoping  my sassy, fiery, confident self is making a resurgence.

I’d like the newfound wisdom inside ‘old me’ back now please.

Swirlingfire: A Posting History

@Swirlingfire, 1st January 2019