“Saturday Night, Coffee House” by Matthew Mulder
The awkwardness is complete—
strangers sitting side by side
with nothing to offer but body heat
on this cold winter night;
and the only thing that
connects us is my brother’s wife
and the wooden bench we sit upon.
Conversation is embarrassingly
fumbled with references to
the chai we sip;
and at long silences we sip
more chai and look
around the coffee house
for more material to
discuss,
or some distraction
to fascinate our senses.
(Originally published in Rapid River Magazine, April 2004.)
Coffeehouse Junkie 
What a wonderful representation of those awkward moments spent with people you don’t know or want to know….well said.
thanks!
those awkward moments ,the ones you sometimes want to fill with noise or run away from or go shopping, they are where life can really happen, my fear would say avoid but courage[ love] would say approach and dare and be spontaneous original and play and keep your head out of outcomes.
well said… too often i observe those awkward moments… people bury themselves in ipod ear buds or text away the precious moments of a day… you’re right, it’s in those moments where ‘life can really happen’ … thanks for commenting!