The line going to the counter is not as long as I would have expected for a typically busy lunch hour, but I suppose most people already got their caffeine fix for the day. Two girls are chattering away in Japanese at the table in front of me; their voices are the loudest sounds in the area. Most of the tables are taken despite the few customers in line. A giant stuffed germ, representing the common cold, is perched on top of the small fridge showcasing Naked smoothies on the counter. Suddenly, a roaring sound rips through the air as a barista blends coffee and chocolate and ice to make a frappuccino (or one of the other thousand drinks they offer).
From my seat, I can see the nearly empty Barnes and Noble. Several people are wandering, peering at the books and college paraphernalia on display. But for the most part, they have other matters to attend to on a Monday afternoon. Two Barnes and Noble employees are standing on the stairs, intently discussing something. After a minute, they part, one going back upstairs and the other continuing down to the first level.
The door behind me slams as people come in and out after getting their coffee. It is chilly in here, a direct contrast to the 80-degree weather outside. One would think that people would be sitting outside due to the nice weather, but the seats outside the window are for the most part empty. The baristas chat, their voices carrying, as they wait for their next customer. From so far away, though, it is difficult to distinguish the individual words they are saying.
The vanilla iced soy latte I ordered is beginning to melt, the ice blending into the coffee and making the bitter taste watery.
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