Love my Latte

Yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous day. It was 80 degrees out, over 30 degrees higher then the average temperature for this time of year. I drove downtown in the topless jeep after my lunch workout and enjoyed both a sandwich and latte in the brilliant sunshine. As I sat at the table outside the coffee shop, I could feel the sun warming my legs almost to the point of discomfort. Small droplets of sweat beaded on my forhead as I sipped my Venti Mocha. The old church across the street rang out two clangs of the bell signifying the 2:00 hour. The flags lay limp from their poles on this very unusual windless day. The Harleys were all lined up in front of the other coffee shop and occassionally one or two would depart in a thunderous roar of unbaffled exhaust pipes. My wondering eye noted many of the woman wearing sundresses typically reserved for the hot summer months.

The entire downtown bustled with tourists, business people out for lunch and the usual groups of drifter type folks. One of the drifter-types walked away from the group loudly cursing them them with no apparent regard to the eclectic collection of people including young children walking through and sitting in the area . I could see bags and suitcases close by the group and wondered if they were homeless. Maybe they stayed at the homeless shelter at night and lounged downtown during the day. They were all fairly young; average age seemed to be 20 to 30. Cries of "Waddup" greeted all that approached the growing crowd. Most chain smoked cigarettes and many clutched bottles of soda in their hands. They were all fairly clean and many dressed in a hip-hop style with neckerchiefs on their heads covered with a hat turned sideways wearing jerseys with the names of famous athletes. They seemed to be comfortable relaxing in the square in front of the bus stop. I considered my propensity to hang out here drinking my lattes and wondered if I was more like them then I cared to admit.