A WRITTEN OBSERVATION /

 LATE DINNER IN A CAFÉ IN ST. PAULS  27.05.11

ACROSS THE ROOM FROM ME IS A PAIR OF MIDDLE-AGED ASIAN WOMEN.  THEY HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE MY STEAK AT LEAST (I HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING THEM MUCH ATTENTION).  AFTER I PAY AND ALREADY HALFWAY THROUGH MY COFFEE, THREE OF THEIR FRIENDS ARRIVE.  THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVEN'T SEEN EACH OTHER IN SOME TIME, FOR THERE IS A PALPABLE WARMTH IN THEIR EXCHANGE OF HUGS, LOUD SMILES AND PLAYFUL SLAPS.  THIS AND THE FAMILIAR RHYTHM OF THEIR SOFT TAGALOG (AND PERHAPS MY WARM COFFEE TOO) HAS ME SMILING TO MYSELF.

A LARGE DINNER PARTY ENTERS THE CAFÉ, AND SOON ENOUGH THE AIR THICKENS WITH CHATTER.  TO MY RIGHT, AN OLDER ENGLISH COUPLE DRYLY EXCHANGE THE DETAILS OF THEIR DAY IN THE CITY OVER A CHEESE PLATTER.  AS THE SHARP SMELL OF CHEESE BEGINS TO CUT INTO MY NOSTRILS I QUICKLY FINISH THE LAST BITTER DREGS OF MY COFFEE AND LEAVE.