"Coffee Shop"

There’s two coffee places on campus.

One is in the main building where people hang out in between classes.

The place is called The Cabin but it’s actually a Starbucks.

That building is always busy and full of people.

Personally, I prefer to avoid it…

Unless the other coffee place is closed.

It’s not that I don’t like it.

They have good coffee and some pastries.

They have cool and pretty lighting, and the atmosphere is nice.

The other one is in a tall building with a wall of windows.

There's always a long line but I think it’s worth it.

I always get the same thing when I go,

a hot mocha with no whip cream

and a toasted whole wheat bagel with plain cream cheese.

Sometimes I’ll get an iced mocha or a strawberry smoothie.

After I get my order, I go to the second floor right above it,

and I sit at a table overlooking the tables on the first floor.

I’ll eat and work on homework and write. Mostly write.

I notice the people. Some are doing homework while others kill time.

I think about why this is my third favorite place on campus,

and I think about how my mom would like this place too.

I pretend that it’s this vintage coffee shop that plays instrumental music,

where writers go to write, and artists go to sketch random people.

And I look out the towering windows at the old brick buildings,

the rushing river of people, and the calm flowing river.

This isn’t a real coffee shop, I know that.

But I’ll continue to pretend it is.