a good seats kind of day

When you frequent certain coffeeshops, you come to learn which seats are the best in the house. For example, today, at Booktrader, I was able to obtain the highly-coveted Outlet Seat, which, despite being next to the garbage can, is the only seat with access to a power outlet in the entire place. When I arrive at Booktrader, I immediately scan for availability — often, someone with a computer will have already claimed the Outlet Seat, in which case, I move on to Atticus, or to Starbucks. (It's no use working if you don't have all day..) Sometimes, someone without any device that needs powering will be sitting at the table, in which case, I get upset and loiter next to them, annoyingly stretching my power cord around their seat and belongings, until they get up and leave or, at the very least, move.

Today, this seat was empty. I ran for it. I wasn't going to leave until I absolutely had to.

HOWEVER, someone had, in the most despicable move I have ever seen in Booktrader, plugged in their cellphone charger and left the cellphone on top of the garbage can, charging. I thought about moving it, about unplugging it -- but the charger (charged ) could have been anyone in the place. Luckily, very shortly thereafter, the cellphone rang one of the most annoying tunes I've heard (er .. I guess there's a chance I'm projecting my hatred for the phone and its low-battery power onto its more innocent ringtone), and this woman who had been sitting in the other room at Booktrader came running over to answer it, leaving the charger there.

Needless to say, I unplugged the charger, neatly coiled it, put it on the garbage can, and proceeded to plug in my laptop.

She left Booktrader shortly thereafter.

Other good New Haven café seats:

-Atticus: against the wall, next to an outlet. Free wireless makes us happy, as well, although the slowest wait service I've ever encountered doesn't.

-Starbucks: North-west corner seat, which has access to Yale Wireless for free (as opposed to the ridiculous $15 a day or something that T-Mobile/Starbucks so graciously offers its addicts who have already spent an entire life savings on skim lattes...), as well as power outlets. This is where you can find me right now. I rather like being above ground for a change. People, sky, cellphone reception.... this might be the fresh air talking, but who knows if I'll ever return to Bass library? I may have overdone it there...