Strangers Observation Essay

#1: I went to the local Starbucks that lies nearly a quarter mile from my house. While I was there, the coffee shop was moderately populated. Soon after I arrived, in walked a young Caucasian woman in her early to late 20s; she was dressed informally, with a checkered plaid button-down shirt, well-fitting jeans, and her long brown hair in a ponytail. She had wide-rimmed glasses, and a nose ring. Carrying a laptop bag and several notebooks, it seemed as though she was going there to just write and surf the Internet on their laptop. The expression on her lightly-made-up face was one of slight indifference, but she treated the barista with kindness, asking for her latte with a light, cheery voice. Her shoulders were slightly slumped, and she had a bit of a humble, bow-legged walk - she seemed to be unassuming and low-key in her body language, not moving unless she absolutely had to. On occasion, she would run her finger along the spiral binding of her notebooks, as if as a nervous habit.
Sitting down with her laptop, she grabbed her notebooks and a pencil, and started surfing the Internet with her latte. Only occasionally taking a sip from her latte, she also plugged in earbuds to her laptop and completely absorbed herself in the contents of the screen. Holding her pencil lightly between two fingers, she would alternate between chewing on the end and rapping it against her knuckles. Glancing from notebook to laptop, she seemed a very humble, shy girl who was studious and dedicated to her work.
#2
One day, while sitting in the park, I saw an African-American couple (mid 30s) who sat down on an adjacent bench with their baby, who was approximately 6-7 months of age, in a stroller. These two seemed like a professional, upper-middle-class couple - the man was dressed in a sweater and grey slacks, while the woman had a smart, black scarf, light navy jacket and well-fitted jeans with black boots. They were both very trim, the man having extremely close-cropped hair and a goatee, while the woman had shoulder-length black hair, which was straightened and styled. She wore two medium-sized hoop earrings. During their time on the bench, they played with their baby, touching him softly in the crib and tickling him, while exchanging pleasant conversation with each other.
Based on this information, the couple seemed like a young, well-off newlywed pair who had just given birth to a baby, not long after their marriage. They seemed very much in the honeymoon period of their relationship, as they still touched each other lightly on the shoulder and waist, hugging and giving each other small kisses on the cheek and mouth. These public displays of affection showed them to be attentive, loving individuals, who appeared to have a great deal of love for their baby. The man acted as if he worked in a high-pressure, yet extremely successful field, like business or finance; their clothes and stroller were very high-end and well-kept, and they dressed professionally but with a modicum of style. This couple seemed the type to have a house in the suburbs and very few social or financial problems - their time in the park showed them on top of the world, with the start of a new family that brought both of them great joy.
#3
The other day, I took a city bus to get home, and sat across the aisle from an old woman who was asleep in her seat. She looked to be in her early to late 60s, with slowly graying hair, a bulky blue jacket, and a series of bags around her - she was clearly homeless. She was overweight, jowly; her hair sort of hung in clumps around her ears, which had no earrings. Her arms were looped through the rungs of the plastic bags she carried, as if to make sure she did not lose them (or someone did not steal them). She did not move the whole bus ride, as she was sound asleep; there was only the occasional slight movement or stirring as she adjusted herself in the seat.
Based on this behavior, I noted that she was likely a homeless person, perhaps with mental problems, who actually needed to sleep on the bus as she was exhausted. She held onto her many bags tightly, as those had everything that she owned in the entire world. It is possible she never got the financial help she needed from her family, or was in dire straits medically and could not afford to take care of herself. She had been homeless for awhile, based on the dirt around her face (she had not showered in quite some time) and the bulky clothes, overlayered to make sure she did not freeze in the night.
#4
On Sunday, a pair of middle-aged businessmen, dressed in suits, came in to the Starbucks I frequented and discussed business-related issues (I believe it was an informal interview of some kind) over coffee; their voices were restrained, but hushed, so as not to disturb other people. One of them was younger, but I focused on the older man; wearing a somewhat-bulky black suit, with a black tie and tie clip, he seemed to be more on the professional side. White in skin color, with grey, thinning hair, and bright green eyes, he had aged well, with only a slight jowl to indicate that he might be starting to get out of shape. He had a very smooth complexion, and he was clean shaven. His clothes, though not very well fitting, were professional and businesslike, indicating employment in a high-pressure or prominent profession. He carried a large, black leather briefcase, indicating he was a lawyer or businessman - he seemed to be taking a business meeting at this Starbucks.
When he entered the coffee shop, I saw him take a quick glance at the people around him; he seemed to be a person who always wants to size up a situation, so that they may know what they are getting into. The man spoke and behaved as though he needed a great deal of control; he spoke and gestured with intensity and directness, never wasting a breath or energy on extraneous actions. He would point for emphasis, or otherwise gesticulate, but for the most part kept his arms to his sides. He was also very commanding; his speech (particularly in ordering his coffee) was very declarative, speaking in short sentences with a low, booming voice. He was used to giving short, decisive orders to people, and possibly seeing them as his underlings.