over tea

I guess I’m feeling rather bloggy this morning. Perhaps I’m just not feeling like I can look at bad student writing just yet today. Yes, that’s probably it.

Yesterday, I spent a good three hours between my classes sitting in a coffee shop drinking pots of tea and grading. During one short break–meaning I lifted my head for a few moments to look around–I spotted no fewer than three pregnant women. During the time I was in this place, there were a total of five pregnant women. I forgot that they all come out of the woodwork once I’ve spermed up.

I also had a sweet experience there. I was remotely aware of a man in his forties or fifties, possibly homeless or a drifter or somone with some sort of developmental disability who was in the coffee shop. He was clean but somehow a little off. He wasn’t ordering anything, but he would go talk to the people at the counter. They would offer him cookies or brownies–he seemed to be a regular–but he wasn’t really interested because he had to take his medication. The man sat in at a table near mine for awhile looking at the paper. He soon got up to leave and began walking toward my table. I was a little guarded but didn’t feel any sort of danger. As he approached, the man looked at me and said, “Can I make a comment to you?” I nodded and smiled. “I was just looking at you from over there, and you are so beautiful. I just wanted you to know that.” I smiled again, thanked him, and he went on his way.

I love moments like that. Of course, it’s always nice to get a compliment, but it somehow made my day for a stranger to say something to intentionally make me feel good. We need a lot more of that in this world