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Today was one of the most interesting days at Starbucks I can remember. I sat down at my normal table to get some work done. Within a few minutes, another guy decided to sit at my table. A younger guy in his mid twenties, he has the look of someone who probably wouldn’t want to get angry. His clothes were on the rough end of things and he also wore a big baggy jacket.
Initially he sat down and was silent as he leaned against the wall. Then he started talking to himself. There was clearly a story about someone he was upset with and the narrative was laced with colorful metaphors. As he continued the story and appeared to get more agitated with himself, he looked around and then slyly reached into his inside pocket of his jacket. This was a little bit uncomfortable as it was a bit menacing. However, he pulled out a Playstation controller.
The controller out he started swinging it around with a bit of a wild smile on his face. Then he slyly looked around again as he reached into his coat pocket. This time, he pulled something out and hid it in his hand. He looked around the room again before putting what turned out to be a battery into the controller… followed by another.
At this point, things were getting really interesting. His conversation was louder and more random. He started talking about a girl he was mad at. He started talking about getting attacked and taking everyone down who would attack him. He also began to talk about a dinosaur. It took everything in my to keep a neutral face and look at my computer screen without raising my eyebrow as I attempted to look completely interested in my computer screen and not his antics. However, things kept getting louder and more profane which made this very difficult.
The main gist of everything he was talking about was anger with a group, a girl, and a dinosaur. Finally, he started talking about shooting the dinosaur. As he did this, he held the controller like a weapon and began to shoot at the dinosaur with it…. which apparently was me since he was targeting my general vicinity (from a couple of feet away). I continued to ignore him, which I think he didn’t like.
He then quickly stood up and started yelling at everyone in the store. As he did, he looked up and across the street at care place across the street. The building is red. That isn’t what he apparently saw. He started shouting and swearing at the big red dinosaur and vowing to get it. As he made his dramatic exit at the door, he shouted an expletive at all still in Starbucks before leaving.
These are the days when I’m reminded at just how unpredictable any given day can be when going to get a cup of coffee. Now, scarcely a half hour later, there is one other person in the store and things are incredibly quiet. As I sit here enjoying this quiet coffee shop I have to grin a little bit as I realize that today, for one brief moment for one person, I was a dinosaur…
On to the next adventure!
