Iām writing this at a java cafĆ© near Ocean Beach in San Francisco. I was planning to write about politics but changed direction five minutes after a very interesting couple arrived. They were in a heated and loud discussion the minute they sat down across from me. āYouāre my second cousin. Youāre my cousin!ā said the pretty, slim, mid-20 something woman. She is frenetic, nervous and agitated.
In contrast, the womanās companion is confident, calm and composed, a tall and striking Asian looking James Dean. The woman was visibly upset while the man tried to calm her down. āWhat will people say?ā she asked him. He can hardly get a word in while she talked non-stop, firing questions and accusations at him.
Yes, Iām eavesdropping but how can I resist? Hmmm, their unfolding and comedic drama is intriguing. āI already had a drink", the rambling woman continues. āHave another drink. Letās go to a barā, he urges her. She mumbles a question. āWho cares what they thinkā, the man continues. āYouāre from L.A. and have that so and so attitudeā, she snaps back. āWow, thatās a bold accusationā, the man says in disbelief. They quickly leave the cafĆ© and continue their heated conversation outside my window. The woman becomes more upset. Five minutes later, their voices trail off and they come back inside.
They've calmed down. They're no longer shouting at each other but are still in deep conversation. A bespectacled 30-something man walks in and sits between me and the two cousins. He reads his newspaper oblivious to the couple. It looks like their drama has ended but...
The man cousin goes into the bathroom. I smile to the woman and say āheās cute!ā āHeās my cousin", she says, not agreeing with my compliment. āHe is so full of himselfā, she says sarcastically. She then knocks on the bathroom door. Her cousin opens the door, pulls her in and locks the door. The bespectacled man and I look at each other in disbelief. āI should come here more often!ā I said. He laughs. I try to concentrate on my writing and I bet heās trying to continue reading. In case youāre wondering, they didnāt make a sound.
Five minutes later, the man quickly walks out of the bathroom frustrated. He sighs as he heads outside to smoke. A few minutes later, the woman comes out of the bathroom and sits at a different table. She doesnāt look as upset as she did earlier. She catches me looking at her. āWhat are you writing about?ā she asks. āIām just writing about things on my mind like current events", I say. Little does she know.
She mumbles something else but I can't hear her. Her cousin returns and sits at another table occasionally looking at us. She see's him, stops rambling to me and leaves with her cousin without saying a word.
Comments
~tanya, another s.f. native
If so that's realy something. Another "only in San Francisco" tidbit.