Lucky, this point in time and space

On days when I don't have a job interview, my routine is to get up mid-morning, eat, shower, get dressed, and then take my laptop to the Starbucks down a few blocks from me, where I get a latte and submit job applications or work on my writing or my grad school applications for an hour or two. Sometimes I go back in the afternoon or early evening to do the same thing.

There's this man who is always at the Starbucks. Every day. He's middle aged and is always wearing huge headphones and on his laptop and he always takes the big handicap table even though he never has any materials with him aside from the computer.

I usually show up with a laptop and a computer bag and a purse and a notebook and sometimes a book as well. I want that big handicap table because it's the only one I can spread my stuff out on. This guy is almost always there. On the rare occasions that I do get there before him and claim that table, he'll show up, sit at the table right next to me, and just wait. He won't unpack his laptop. He just sits there, sipping his coffee, staring at me. It's awkward. It makes me want to leave. As soon as I do get up he swoops in. If he sees me close my laptop he actually stands up and hovers.

I have occasionally tried waiting for him to leave. He doesn't. He's literally there for hours. I have no idea what he does there, but evidently he's intense about it.

So this morning I was walking to the bus stop to leave for a job interview and I saw him walk right past me, headed to Starbucks, and I thought, "Hey, there's the dude who's always in Starbucks." Then I paused for a moment and thought about something.

Yesterday when I went into Starbucks the staff commented that they hadn't seen me in awhile (I've been in Boston). They asked me if I wanted the usual. They asked me if I had an opinion on what their next tip jar theme should be.

It was at this point that I realized that I have been misjudging the dude who's always in Starbucks.

Because I am the dude who is always in Starbucks. I'm not a dude, but you get the point.

I really, really need a job.