Boulder musings and a Bach Festival

I am totally uncomfortable sitting here by myself in this Starbucks on the Boulder Mall. I am realizing I don't know how to chill by myself! I am fidgety and self-conscious. I shouldn't be since this seems to be the cataclysmic center for the misfits of America. What is my place here? I certainly fit in with the misfits. Crap, I have a whole hour left until my rehearsal. I'm sitting here watching these hippy Greenpeace kids trying to catch people's attention-new tactics for a new generation. These kids with long, greasy hair, dark eyes-why are they trying so hard to look so bad? Yet, I can't remember why I did the same thing at their age.

I do love a good Starbucks, not the coffee as much as the environment, the cozy atmosphere, Ella Fitzgerald singing in the background. What is that Greenpeace kid saying outside the window? He certainly is really getting into it, but I don't care enough to be accosted. This kid really dances around like he just got scolded by the teacher-body language is not doing it for you, buddy. His whole body is screaming, why? A lot of shrugging of shoulders-arms spread out like he'd hug you if he could. Wow, he just got that guy to shake his hand, but he kept walking and our poor kid wouldn't let go.

Back at people watching. Only in Boulder can you see a lady in all black, black skin tight pants, ski high stilettos followed by two hobbits in plaid flannel and dreadlocks peeking out from under their ski caps...now here come some more shaggy hobbits with shaggy beards. Oh wait, now there's the Adidas running pants twins-both bald men, 40 somethings, probably wishing they were as young as those hobbits. In the next clump of humans is the hippy lady with the long grey hair; pulled back in a barrett and singing "The Girl From Ipanema" and shaking some maracas.

And to think this was the "non-happening" part of the Pearl Street Mall...