Coffee Shops

Coffee shops.
College professors
And their lesson "plans"
Students
Flirting in
And out of
The classroom
Lawyers
And their cases
In and out
Of courtrooms
Med Reps
And their quotas
In and out
Of their
Endorsements
Sales Reps
And their merchandise
In and out
Of their marketplaces
Business
Owners
And their, well
Businesses
No business
Like showbusiness
Ordinary
Citizens
Just trying
To make it
Through the
Day.
Coffee
Latte
Capuccino
Italiano
Cake
Blueberry
Cheese
Cigarettes
Smartphones
Wifi
Thank God there wasn't any.
Talk to each other.
What to talk about?
Plenty.
How are you's
Good, thank you's
Tell me your story.
How is life treating you?
Questions, answers
Inside
Glass doors
Windows
Conversations
Outside
Iron chairs
And tables
Cold drinks
Sweat beading
Labels peeling
Warm caffeine
Smoke rising
Hours passing
Like fingers
Snapping
Tell me again.
Tell you what?
Your truth
And I say
We only hear
What we listen for--
Our egos
And versions of truth.
Such an amusing
Wondrous most
Revealing thing
The truth?
The people
Telling it?
No.
Coffee shops.

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