Café Fire!

I'm starting a new writing regimen. On the advice of a few friends, I'm working this week on timed writing exercises-- writing about anything in any style as long as I sit with a notebook for 45 (or more) straight minutes.

I figured a great way to start something new would be to start in a new place. There's this bakery/coffee shop in Red Hook that is quite tasty, well-designed, not super-crowded and they play good music.

So after Boot Camp, breakfast and a quick re-charging nap, I biked over and got to writing. It worked out well, things were flowing, I'm feeling good, and all of a sudden this one customer who had been chatty chatty from the moment he walked in starts getting louder and louder, screaming "TELL THEM NOT TO PUT ANY MORE LIQUID ON IT!"

Not wanting to distract myself from my writing, I paid him no mind. Until he kept on yelling. Then I turned around. Sure enough, there was bright orange light flickering from behind the plexiglass windows into the kitchen.

FIRE!

Cause for alarm? Nah. The three of us that were "working on stuff" just sort of looked around, but generally stayed put. The alarm went off, smoke slowly filled the room, an older couple quickly threw away the last of their cupcakes and hightailed it out the door. But the rest of us just sort of paused.

I overheard one of the kitchen gals telling a customer that by some odd New York State law, they're not required to keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen (because their cupcakes are so cute, perhaps?), which explains why one guy went running out the front door only to return about 45 seconds later with a fire extinguisher from, I'm guessing, next door.

Anyway, all was fine. I've lived to tell the tale. I am, however, concerned that I actually waited to see if it was going to get so bad that I should leave.

I think this writing regimen is going to work out for me.