Some San Francisco days I spend sitting at my regular table at the local coffee shop, La Boulange on Polk, laptop open, daydreaming. And eavesdropping: young mothers mostly in the mornings, gorgeous students in the afternoons, and other types too.
Prams are manoeuvred into the gaps between tables, babies gurgle or wail, moms gossip unconcerned by the mayhem around them.
“˜I’ve given up on the corporate world,’ says one. “˜It’s no longer where I’m at. A girlfriend and I are gonna start a baby-food business. Fully organic, totally healthy, home delivery, ya know.’
“˜Ohmigosh. That’s, like, super awesome!’
“˜Yea. It’s pretty exciting. Local farmers and all. We’re gonna introduce new flavours. Ya know, really push the boundaries of baby food. I’ll email you the link to our website.’
“˜That’s just so great for you.’
“˜Yea, it’s pretty cool.’
“˜Claire, I need to tell you something “¦ I’m pregnant.’
“˜Oh. My. God. No way! I would never have guessed. Your tummy doesn’t, like, show at all “¦ Oh, congratulations! Boy or girl?’
“˜We don’t know yet.’
“˜Oh my god, that’s so cool. My little ones are at such a good playschool. You must enrol now, before it’s too late. The waiting list is like totally a mile long. Just round the corner. Science projects for tots, computer courses, everything. You wouldn’t believe it. But the cost! It’s like college fees. Ivy league for toddlers.’
The afternoon eavesdroppings are more my thing. Blonde angels wearing practically nothing wander in, grab a skinny latte and plonk down beside me to tap on laptops, fiddle with their blackberries or hang out with their girlfriends chatting about this and that. Yoga classes, such a cute instructor, your blackberry versus my blackberry, pilates is pretty neat, the skinny mochachinos aren’t half bad either, Brad’s skew dick, Brazilian waxing, the totally cool new nail polish removal, oh, and have you heard the latest “¦
And so it goes at La Boulange on Polk. I could think of worse places to while away a golden, autumnal San Francisco day.
