Because You Just Never Know

Today, I visited a coffee shop in Kenai. It's not the one I'm usually at, but I go there on occasion, for music and for tea. I know the employees, and it's quite picturesque: high on the bluff overlooking the inlet, surrounded by flowers, and with the Russian part of town surrounding.

I'd never been there alone before, and found it rather interesting, especially with the international tourists who sat at the tables around me.

There were four Germans, who had hiked some glaciers yesterday, and come into town this morning. (I picked this up through accidental eavesdropping- they spoke in German, and I understood enough to follow without realizing it until one of the baristas pointed out she couldn't understand a word they were saying.) One of them photographed me, apparently thinking that a girl knitting and reading while drinking tea would make a lovely subject for a watercolour he had in mind. It was rather flattering.

I met an Englishman- an ethnomusicologist. We had a fascinating conversation regarding English folkmusic (I'm a huge folk music fan, especially as regards England...) We shared tea, Bert Jansch, Fairport Convention and one of his scones.

At the very end, most of the people had left, and I sat in my corner, nursing the last sips of tea and knitting a bassinet coverlet for a friend of mine. In walked a trio from Anchorage, and one of the ladies made a bee-line to my corner. Turns out she's a travelling nurse who loves to knit. We spent a few minutes discussing knitting and yarn stores in Alaska (sadly, not many) and projects. Next thing I knew, I had a new contact on ravelry. As she left, she wished me luck with my knitting.

The barista who was cleaning the table just smiled and turned to me. "In a coffeeshop like this, you just never know who you'll meet next."

Mhm. That's why I love coffeeshops. Because you just never know.