What followed later at Starbucks...

So after I left Elwin and Stephen I walked back to the Starbucks where I was to meet my friend.
Still somewhat charged by the experience I decided to have a coffee...(I never drink coffee!). So I walk in and after a quick visit to the loo, ask at the counter for an iced cappuccino. What the heck I could use the sugar- I'll take the ginger snaps too. After having paid with my fancy colored money (I kid you not, Swiss francs are FUN! Bright reds and greens and all shiny silver with faces all over and cool). I balance my drink, the ginger snaps, my sunglasses, the purse falling off my shoulder, and my loose change and go and plonk myself on a comfy sofa outside.

When I am all settled I take a sip, UGH! The coffee tastes yucky... ummm... forgot the sugar! So I scoop myself and my belongings up and go to get the darn sugar. I watch out of the corner of my eye as one very studious looking fellow with his nose in a book thick as the DSM-IV, surreptitiously glances at me out of the corner of his. He probably thinks I am a total ninny.

"I don't drink much coffee..." I offer and then muttering to myself that what the heck does he care anyway. I return only to find my comfy sofa taken. The others all face the sun and I am not too keen on sun. So there is only one thing for it, I walk up to Mr. hoity toity booky nose...

"I'm afraid you're going to have to share that sofa with me."

He looks up. I throw him my most winning smile.... he grins and scoots over and I cozy myself up on the second half of the sofa for two next to him. Finally comfortable and content, I take a deep breath and settle down to enjoy my snaps and ccino.

Bored and craving company, I eye my sofa partner... he hardly looks up. Not impressed I venture forth anyway.

"Gorgeous afternoon hunh?"

"Hmmm... yes..." (eyes back to book)

"It's my first time in Geneva- I love it! Do you live here or are you visiting?"

"No I live here..."(eyes back to book)

Darn!

I look around me again... I notice two young women. They look like students. They look like tourists. They speak English! One gets up to go use the loo. And I pounce!

"So how are you surviving on English here... or do you speak French?"

"Gosh it's been so hard! I don't speak any French... Are you from here?"

"No I'm not. I was telling this nice gentleman that it's my first trip here."

She is across and one seat over from the guy I'm sitting next to, so he is now stranded between a relatively LOUD conversation between us. I chuckle to myself at this state of affairs and continue nonplussed (he looks like he could use some socializing....)

We continue our introductions in this manner of loud speaking for a while, but as we get more familiar and as we have to keep repeating ourselves because we can't hear... she offers me the seat close by in the sun. I explain I am a troll and will melt if touched by the sun. She laughs and the guy next to me offers to switch seats. I wink at him and state that we were too loud and annoying and thus disrupting his studying anyway.... He blushes and shakes his head in the negative, we change seats and the conversation continues.

We venture past the formal and move into more real chatter. Her friend returns, there is another round of introductions. I introduce the guy next to me (and in the process get to know who he is myself!). And the conversation continues. There is a middle aged man sitting and reading the paper by himself and after we have discussed psychology and Freud(they were psych majors too!) and I am regaling them with Elwin the ganja man's tale, The middle aged man folds up his newspaper and shamelessly begins to listen in on our conversation.

Booky nose by now has give up on his book and is actually smiling and offering minimal encouragers "umm hmm.." and all. The newspaper gentleman explains from across the way that the lake is actually a favorite spot to "spot some" if you know what I mean.... Hence the Elwin encounter he explains further. But even he is amused by the singing. I offer him the empty seat next to the girls and he ambles over.

"Why didn't you ask him to sing No Woman No Cry?" (Girl 1)

"Or even Don't Worry Be Happy?"(Girl 2)

"I wasn't thinking! Buffalo Soldier is the first song that popped in my head." (Me)

"He is most well known for that one..." (Swiss newspaper man)

Grin (Booky nose)

And ENTER friend who I was waiting for. He stands a while and looks at the scene before him. Me on the sofa with Booky Nose. Girl 2 next to me on the other side. Girl 1 across from Girl 2. And Newspaper man across from me. All chattering away...

I see him and wave him over and proceed to introduce him to everyone by name and explain who they are and what they do. He sits down and asks me in Urdu- (You ran into your friends in Geneva?) (No no silly, I just met them here- they're cool aren't they?) (You can't be left alone for a minute without getting into the middle of something can you?) (You haven't even heard the half of it...)

We all have a nice chat after. He is regaled with the Elwin incident and there is much debate over whether No Woman No Cry would have been a better choice of song. After a while the debate swings to the best chocolate in Switzerland. The three females, myself included, demand a single pick. The three Geneva residents, the gentlemen, unanimously agree- Martel.

We make our farewells and head on out to dinner. My friend looks at me and rolls his eyes.

"What?"

"I've been in Geneva six months and I know two people! I leave you alone for half a day and you know half the town..."

I offer a pout. A fake one ;)

He just keeps on walking, shaking his head.

:P