Starbucks Mystery Woman

The ultra wide angle lens distorts reality, creating an illusion of distance when I'm only sitting a few feet away from this Starbucks mystery woman. It was a hot September afternoon, and I thought that cooling off took precedence over smoking a cigarette with my afternoon coffee. The big soft chair was vacant and beckoning so I walked over and sat down, placing my cup of coffee on the table between us, just inches from her cup.

The mystery woman? I see a lot of them at Starbucks, the ones too busy or too engrossed in something, so I don't try to strike up a conversation.This one seemed extremely engrossed in her magazine. I seldom have any compunctions about exchanging a few pleasantries with a stranger, but decided that this was neither the time nor the woman. I'd seen her there before, and I've seen her since, but we've yet to really meet or to speak with one another.

I suppose that accounts for my glowering look, staring straight into the camera lens. I like to meet people and chat with them. In most of this self-portrait project I'm looking at other people, or perhaps looking where they're looking, but here I seem to be intentionly looking away from the mystery woman. After awhile I'd cooled off enough to venture outside again, where I could smoke a cigarette with what was left of my coffee. She remained inside. The Starbucks mystery woman was still reading the magazine as I drove away.