morning banter, where they know your name

tonalli's doughnut shop on the corner of ne alberta, pdx

each morning they’d meet at the coffee shop on main street,

the one located between the bank and the barber shop

the counter was covered with turquoise laminate sprinkled with what looked like leftover toast crumbs

black vinyl swivel stools waited for patrons

it smelled of black coffee, fried eggs and doughnuts

white, thick-rimmed mugs were etched with coffee stains

the neon sign flickering “open” clicked on at 5:30 each morning

one by one, they filtered in, taking their designated seats

…and the banter began

it was a game the old guys played every day, at the coffee shop

We all like having a spot to go, to belong, where we find our friendships. Today, we call them meet-up groups or intentional community.

What used to just happen organically, now takes scheduling and might not happen for weeks on end. Case in point, I'm having lunch with one of my sisters today that I haven't seen since Thanksgiving. In my defense, it's been a winter to beat winters and we live a good 5 hours apart, but still, really?

I guess I love the concept of heading to my local spot, seeing faces I recognize, having a cup of joe and the banter of friends. So, I'm sitting here writing and wondering, who else do I need to meet-up with?

Missy

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