being a regular to a place is interesting. you get to keep a tab on who the familiar faces are. get a chance to know the staff, and their hours. who makes the better latte, who has the better stories. and they get to keep a similar tab on you: when you usually come in, what do you order when you're feeling down, where you usually sit…
I like those intricacies. it makes a place feel like home, even if you don't know anyone's name. there is a certain belonging you feel, a certain trust. an unspoken contract with your usual spot, for it knows when you will be sitting there. sometimes, you bring friends over. sometimes, they also stick around. now, it's a bigger family. most of the time though, they will be the one-off characters to your play. they are meant to spark new conversations in your mundane relaxation.
I sometimes think about whether the staff of my usual places miss me. do they realize I haven't been there for weeks? I doubt that they have the mental space for every customer they've ever had. still, some places make you feel like they've missed you. might be a trick of the trade…
I feel the same way about the cities I've left. the commuters you share a 30-minute bus ride with. the people you see on your usual walks. do they realize when you're not there?
I left the exchange, and consequently Denmark, about a month ago. it's been one of the most interesting experiences of my life. I left behind many places where I was a regular. I wonder if that pizza place talks of me from time to time. I wonder if the project we left for showcasing to students of later semesters is still working correctly. I wonder if they will see our signatures on the inside. I wonder if we made any sign of our passing at all…