mood: artsymusic: 'comptine d'un autre été' by yann tiersen

he stepped into unurban, backpack dangling crooked from his shoulder. the air around him dripped with surreality. at the doorway he glanced back and forth, time slowed, slowed, slowed, until snap, he stepped forward to the counter. his hand came blazing out of his pocket and out came $1.75.

'large coffee, please.' his eye darted towards the girl behind the counter. she remained unenthused. she reached out her hand to his and showed a ballpoint henna. royal blue. she was a student at smc, probably bored out of her mind in her calculus class, wishing she was at some pretentious art school somewhere in greenwich village.

the blue showed up well against her pallor. her face was just as white, framed by golden brown curls, cat-eye glasses, and the intimidating gleam of a stainless steel septum ring. she stayed stoic as she took his money and fetched his coffee. all he could do was smirk and lean on the counter, watching the performer on the makeshift stage. again, he surveyed the crowd, maybe looking for someone, maybe following the random decor that hung from the walls. with each neck swivel, each tousled hair, time slowed, slowed, slowed, until stomp, she put his coffee down on the counter. 'thanks,' he said. she glowered.

---Goei---