coffee shop – D. Brent Miller

August 7, 2016

Plain Folk Café, Ohio SR 132

How many times have you traveled down a two-lane highway, passing through a small town, and come upon a place on the side of the road that looks so inviting? You stop, or maybe pass by saying, ‘I’ll stop next time.’

The Plain Folk Café in Pleasant Plain, Ohio, is one of those places. Giving rebirth to the two-room school house, built in 1913, the café serves up coffee, meals and music.

The walls, lined with album covers and musical venues, remind one of the former days when patrons wore tie-dyed shirts and drove VW vans. It’s a little bit of nostalgia, and a little bit modern with the free wifi. About half of those album covers are very familiar, for they reside at my home protecting the vinyl LPs inside.

After passing by so many times, thinking I will stop next time, today was the day I stopped. I’m glad I did. I’ll be back.

Brent

June 11, 2016

Fuel Coffee on a Saturday Morning

Cincinnati—Most coffee shops are open every day, seven days a week. Fuel Coffee is open only on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon, and people line up into the parking lot to get a cup of java.

While they are waiting for coffee, they have a few things to look at.

Brent

January 18, 2015

Conversations at a coffee shop

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Every week, I meet with two friends at a local coffee shop.
Arriving early, and waiting patiently, I notice the conversations
taking place around me.

The table next to ours also has regulars, and their conversation
on this morning is of a political nature, likes and dislikes, who
is a “bumbling idiot” and who will lead the nation next.

In the corner, a young man sits by himself with his laptop
with ear buds plugged in. His fingers tap away on the keyboards.
Is he listening to music? A podcast? Taking notes?

A woman passes by with her coffee and a tray. She sits and waits,
and is soon joined by a man. They converse in low volume. Are they friends?
Co-workers? Spouses? Perhaps lovers meeting on the sly.

Conversations abound all around me until finally my friends arrive.
Handshakes start the gathering. A quick note of the weather,
and a new conversation begins filling the air with camaraderie and laughter.

Brent