Cafe at the Heart of the Cosmos

Sitting in the Café Trieste knowing I should develop a theme for my next blog post, I am resistant. I am too at ease on my day off to impose any particular meaning on the surrounding phenomenon. I'm of a mind to just be with it. Merely witness. See the coffee aficionados cued up at the bar to order their drinks— such an amusing line up of the usual coffeehouse suspects, some in camaflage, others in tie-die, leotards, jeans, barets, hoop earrings, hiking sandals and even a Greek fisherman’s cap (haven't seen one of those in a while). All these cultural remnants and raments that refuse to go out of style. Just be with it. Be with the pictures of Pappa Gionni, the founder of this little institution. Witness him hobnobbing with many of the great Italian artistes of our day Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Francis Ford Coppolla, Pavoratti.

There are the ubiquitous Latino men taking care of business behind the counter and the scene in general, quietly keeping California, the world’s sixth largest economy, humming (when white men aren’t mucking it up with sweetheart deals like energy deregulation).

Just sitting here being Being... amidst the stained wood, painted bricks, rafters, cultural clutter and John Coltrane blowing jubilantly in the background—a bohemian dream. Don’t think. Drink your coffee. Don’t even be here now. Just be (irrespective of any considerations of time and place or individual identity) Be leather jackets and lace undershirts. Be swirling conversatios. Be frenetic sax solos and ride cymbals. Be squeaky doors and the sound of clinking cups, rumbly refridgerated cold cases full of pastry. Be grey beards and henna hair and muffled traffic noise.

Every phenonomenon is the tip of the iceburg of the infinite processes of the universe—the culmination of 15 billion years of continously incredible dumb luck (or brilliantly designed good fortune). Witness another enthralling variation on God’s master plan unfolding in the 360 degree sensurround theatre of the moment. Who knew this latest sequel to the Big Bang could be such a pleasantly engaging experience.. so as long as you’re up, get me a refill will you? Why rush of when we're already at the café at the heart of the cosmos?