Through a Window

Jonathon sat at his table and sipped his coffee.

It was not even five and already the place was crowded.

It would get even more crowded later, as the daytime coffee drinkers made way for the evening party animals. As the coffee shop became a bar, and daytime meetings between friends became night time hook-ups between lovers and strangers.

For Jonathon, the day was nearly over. A day spent chasing up contracts, worrying about his mortgage and trying to fit in visits to the dry cleaners.

Across the way, Jonathon noticed a younger man, surrounded by friends and clearly waiting for the evening to begin.

Jonathon hated him instantly.

He clearly didn’t yet have a job, had his whole life ahead of him.

He clearly still hung out with his friends, rather than occasionally bumping into old acquaintances and making promises that he neither meant nor intended to honour.

Jonathon hated him intensely, for being young, for being outgoing, for being everything that Jonathon was not.

Ethan sat at his table and sipped his beer.

It was barely gone five and the place was empty.

It was still too early, still full of daytime stiffs, trying to string out one last coffee before they had to go home to their empty lives and empty families.

For Ethan, the night was just beginning. He had spent all day in college, passing the hours just waiting till he could be here, meeting up with his friends, spending the evening discussing unimportant issues and laughing at meaningless jokes.

Across the way, Ethan noticed a smartly dressed man, on his own, clearly relaxing after a hard day at work.

Ethan hated him instantly.

He clearly had a job, had his whole life worked out.

He knew what he wanted to do in the world, instead of hanging out with friends who he was just beginning to realise he didn’t really like, discussing unimportant issues and laughing at meaningless jokes.

Ethan hated him intensely, for having a plan, for having friends and family that mattered, for being everything that Ethan was not.