I enjoy people watching, especially at the coffee shop. Everyone has a story. It’s not always clear, so I’ll make one up for them, if they’re interesting enough.
Well, Austin is interesting enough. About six foot one, pale skin, moderate build, neat strawberry blond hair, he’s dressed for the outdoors and carries a full pack, a serious hiking and camping pack, white ear pods inserted. First time I saw him in April, I figured that he was another off the Pacific Crest Trail. It runs through this area and many hiking it will pop into Ashland. See the movie Wild or read the book by the same name, and you’ll see my town featured. That’s our plaza in the link I posted.
(Side note to all that: the city posted where they’d be filming the movie so we could avoid the area because of road closures and delays, and all that. You know what that did, right? Also, to have the right season depicted, the leaves had already departed the trees, so they made leaves, attached them to the naked branches, and then removed them after filming.)
Well, Austin remains here months later. I’ve wondered why. He comes into the coffee shop several times a day while I’m there. He’d usually just drink cold water. Sometimes hot tea. Rarely buys more. I’ve seen people offer him money, and he always turns it down. He only speaks to the baristas, which is how I know his name. He’s told me thank you as I was leaving and he was entering and I held the door. Thrice. That’s it.
I sense he wants to be alone, so I leave him alone. Also, I’m there to write, so I don’t want to strike up conversations. I initially thought he was just recharging his batteries. Then, waiting for something to arrive in the mail. Now I think he’s on the run, and hiding out in Ashlandia. The question is, why? Who is after him? What will happen when they find him?
Whatever, he’ll probably show up in a story sometime. That’s just how it goes when you cross a writer’s path.
Michael Seidel, writer 
So true Michael and you must never annoy one or Heaven knows how you’ll be depicted. Hugs
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Say whaaat? Yeah, I often imagine what the others must think of me, typically away, sometimes laughing to himself, shaking his head, or staring moodily out the window.
Amusing sidebar to this. My previous go-to place closed down years ago. Happened overnight. Part of a small corporation, housed in a small repurposed house, the rent was being raised, and corporate said, screw this, and shut it down. One of the people from there started another place. My wife and I went to the grand opening. I introduced my wife to the owner. The owner said, “We never knew that Michael had someone.” LOL. Cracked me up.
Cheers ‘n hugs, mon ami.
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