Heard two baristas arguing about a regular's backstory

At my local coffee spot, the new guy said our quiet regular was a retired spy. The other barista said he just liked his peace. Made me think about all the tiny stories we make up for strangers. Now I keep a list of 'coffee shop character' prompts. Anyone else get ideas from overheard bits of talk?

4 comments

4 Comments

johnson.betty1mo ago

That's hilarious, my version is always way less cool. I probably decide someone's a boring accountant when they're actually a secret poet or something lol.

daniel3911mo ago

Yeah the "tiny stories we make up for strangers" thing is so real. I used to sit in this diner and write whole lives for people. There was this guy who always read the paper and circled things. I decided he was a retired editor marking up mistakes, but my friend said he was probably just doing the crossword. Johnson.betty, your boring accountant is definitely writing haikus about spreadsheets. It's more fun to guess wild than to assume normal.

murray.pat1mo ago

Man I do this all the time at the coffee shop. There's a woman who comes in every Tuesday and just stares out the window for an hour. I'm convinced she's planning a heist or remembering a lost love. My wife says she's probably just waiting for her laundry to finish. But the made up version is way better, it makes the whole world feel more interesting. I'm sticking with the heist.

victorhernandez13d ago

Wait, you guys are seriously telling me you make up these elaborate backstories for random people? I always just figured everyone else was like me, barely noticing anyone around them. I'm the guy who sees someone staring out a window and I just think they're tired or zoning out. This whole thread is kind of blowing my mind honestly, because it sounds so much more fun to imagine a heist than a nap. I might actually have to start trying this. I'm usually so focused on my own stuff that I don't pay attention, but you're right, the world would feel way more interesting if I was making up wild stories instead of assuming everyone is just as boring as I am. Maybe I'll start with the guy who always sits in the corner at my lunch spot and mutters to himself. I bet he's a secret agent decoding messages, not just a guy arguing with his dishwasher.