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The great window seat standoff at The Grumpy Bean
I got to my usual spot in Portland at 8 AM, ready to claim the corner window seat. A guy was packing up, so I waited. He spent 25 minutes slowly putting one book, then one notebook, then one pen back into his bag. I timed it. By the time he left, my coffee was cold and my good mood was gone. Has anyone else had a packing-up ritual stretch into a full performance?
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jasonf176d ago
That "full performance" packing ritual is the worst. I've started making it obvious I'm waiting, like standing right there with my empty cup. Sometimes just asking "all finished up?" with a smile speeds things along. It feels a little rude, but so is taking half an hour to zip a bag.
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beth_reed6d ago
My sister works at a busy coffee shop downtown. She told me they have a regular who spends ten full minutes arranging his laptop, notebook, and three pens on a tiny table before he even takes a sip. She said watching people wait with full trays while he does his little setup is the most frustrating part of her day. I used to be that person, honestly, spreading my stuff out like I owned the place. Hearing how it looks from the other side totally changed my mind. Now I just grab my drink and get out of the way.
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alicehernandez6d ago
The line at my grocery store self-checkout gets held up by people who won't start scanning until their reusable bags are perfectly opened and arranged in the cart. It's the same energy as that laptop guy. @jasonf17 has the right idea about a little polite pressure. We've all lost the plot on shared space. It's letting a door close in someone's face because you're on your phone, or leaving a shopping cart right behind a car. Basic awareness is just gone.
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