Parking Right at the Door

I thought when I retired I would spend more time at coffee shops watching people and pondering the world. I seem to be always on the go or at home, drinking coffee made in my beloved Capresso machine and busy at my computer or around the house. But Russell's Bakery and Coffee Bar is independent and lies between my club and my current residence so I thought I should finally show it to the readers of Austin, Texas Daily Photo. When I stopped by a couple of days ago to get a snap I noticed a shopping cart piled high with clothes pulled up to the door. The day was mild and I guess the owner of the cart had left his winter gear on top of all his other possessions. The homeless in our neighborhood sure have upscale carts, I thought, wondering if there was another explanation. Sadly I was too busy to stop for a coffee and scone and see if I could tell who owned it. Not to worry, FFP and I saw the gentlemen two days later a mile or so away pushing his distinctive yellow cart. We will add him to other 'characters' in our neighborhood like bicycle recycler and ant watcher. When we move downtown, I'm sure we will have others. Lest I seem too glib about homelessness (or neighborhood characters who may have homes for all I know), we do contribute to charities which serve them although I'm circumspect about direct panhandling particularly at busy highway intersections.

Russell's is quite a good and popular place, by the way. There are alternatives to Starbucks other than McDonald's.