by Vanessa Dunham (Los Angeles, CA)IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME to settle in and savor my coffee before I pay the tab, let alone before I know how much it will cost. I have questions that came with me across the Atlantic. Will I have enough money? What if I do not have time to find someone and ask for il conto to pay the check? Do people at the café trust me to pay after I enjoy my cappuccino? In the U.S., I first look at a menu and take in the details before ordering. I know the prices. I know my size options. I know what sounds interesting for next time. The custom at most Italian cafés is to order at the counter, then head outside to sit and wait. While my coffee is prepared, I am free to enjoy my surroundings. I have time to chitchat with friends, meditate on the view of the piazza and listen to birds flutter through the sky above. As soon as I immerse myself in these surroundings, I stop caring about how much my coffee will cost. “The now” is what matters. I connect to the moment through conversation, through observation, through interaction. A ceramic cup filled with velvety foam clinks it’s way to my table. Instead of worrying about the bill, I think about making this moment last as long as I can.
