The Art of Countertop Conversation

Create an opening, find a connection, share an idiosyncracy,
don't pry, smile
"are you always up at this hour?",
keep eye contact half a second longer,
go around the counter to pour the cream in when the pitcher runs out,
be yourself, wait, ask, smile,
"how is your day going so far?"
take in the human-ness of the two eyes across the counter,
be available, look again, follow up,
tell them Veronica made the soccer team or that Kiley's snail escaped,
we're going to Costa Rica,
come drink Indonesian coffee with us on March 25th,
breathe, wait, smile, ask