I love working in cafes. It’s something I look forward to during the weekends, just having the whole day to myself, surviving on a huge mug of caffeine and probably just a single bagel with cream cheese.
I like how everyone here is so absorbed in their work – Apple evangelists plugged into their music, typing lines of codes furiously, or analyzing data on graphs, or even sketching mockups on digital sketchpads. The occasional old couple walks in to enjoy a break from their daily activities. All you can hear are the typing sounds of keyboards and whatever music you’re listening to. In comparison to Singapore’s cafe scene, youngsters throng the noisy cafes, snapping Instagram-worthy photos and enjoys a good day out with their friends – truly a different environment. (And I admit I was/and still probably am one of them)
As unsafe as it might be, it seems to be a norm for people to leave their laptops behind and take toilet breaks or even go out to buy food. I have to say I am hugely skeptical of leaving my laptop alone, but nature’s call is something you can’t ignore for a whole day. There seems to be an unspoken consensus with your next door neighbour that if either of you leaves the laptop alone, you will be responsible to take care of the belonging for thy neighbour – a silent mutual bond forms. This way, even if you go to cafes full of strangers, there will always be ‘someone’ with you.
I guess we all hang out at the cafes for the same reason, to do the work we love at our own pace, to enjoy that favourite weekly coffee dose, and to indulge in that short unspoken ‘toilet-friendship’ with your neighbour.
Comments