Sometimes I hate befriending the people at the shops near where I work. Usually this means the coffee shop, local deli, and newsagency, the three staple stores I visit quite regularly during work. Its not that I'm anti-social... well... maybe it is. But I sometimes just can't be bothered with the little chit-chat you feel obligated to have. I just want my coffee/focaccia/ciggarettes dammit! Some grumpy days I gotta put up with:
"Hows Ming?"
"She dead."
"Oh thats nice. Hows Lily?"
It just feels so forced and I really hate shallow conversations. The same kind of chat you get at massive parties. And when you walk past each other during the day you have to say "Hi", which turns into a smile and a nod later on the day, and then by the 5th time you're outta ideas what to do. I'd imagine colleagues in a office go through the same thing, unless you're a spiteful bitch. Am I the only one that finds this tedious?

I guess its not that bad. But the worst part is when I decide to try something new, like buy my coffee at starbucks ( I know I know, it can barely be considered coffee, but I can get my paper for 50c extra, which makes me happy chappy ), I feel guilty and I don't let my regular coffee dude see me. I go to absurd lengths to hide the coffee, sometimes as far as to walk around the entire block just to avoid him. When I get lazy, I hide the coffee behind the newspaper, but he always glares at me knowingly. I feel like I cheated on him and I don't like it. At times I want to throw the newspaper away and fire back "SO?? You've been neglecting me~! Taking me for granted~! You don't use the spend the same time and effort with my coffee anymore~! You used to make it scaldingly hot, but now you don't even use fresh beans for me~!!"
My coffee dude is closing down in about June, for renovations, which gives me a chance to try someone new. My only concern is when he re-opens in about 2 months, do I go back to him? Or stick with my new coffee guy? Will I pass him and smile awkwardly like old lovers, or pretend I don't see him.
Oh the dilemmas of something as simple as my coffee.
Maybe I have too much time on my hands.
Either that or too much caffeine in my bloodstream.
I suspect both.

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