A lot can happen over coffee

The nostalgia prevailed as I was listening to one of the old songs of Manna De sung in Bengali language about the good old days of coffee house where umpteen times the joint of youths share their dreams, happiness, the momentarily anger, the fight and the by line talks. Song even laments about the degenerating interests of people in Coffee House and describes the passing off the good moments with the passage of times. No more same joints, same crowd, the passion of pooling money just for a cup of coffee for each one of the group or even the sharing one cup of coffee between two friends.


The budding singer, poets, journalists had one point of contact to their seniors with this place. The senior and junior all had one place of meeting and sharing the thoughts and that was “Coffee House”.

Definitely a lot happened over the coffee. Junior journalist learnt the art of journalism from their seniors without any fees; budding poet got review of their poetry from the senior and good tips free of cost. The unemployed lover found a good place to meet his beloved and chat for long time just in lieu of a coffee. It offered unhindered space in the fast moving city life for many of the people to just laze around enlightening their creativity. Everything discussed without any inhibition, right from politics to the profession, coercion to corruption, sorry and disturbed incidence to delighted happenings and many more.


There was no boundary in terms of age, societal status, and professional limitation for the people to come in to Coffee House. The great old hangout, the coffee house, which catered many decades, is still alive in many of the cities. But no more such crowds, only few old journalists warm the chairs and discuss the day’s happenings to put into the press. The new lots have probably found the place in a bar, pub or another happening joint of their tastes.

The new generation’s coffee house is Café Coffee Day where the punch line itself says, “A lot can happen over coffee”. And definitely, a lot happens over coffee. It’s a new generation’s hangout place. The pubs are no safer place any more, Café Coffee Day provides unlimited hours of sitting and gossiping with your new found love, chatting with your friends, even its good place to meet your would be bride. So what! if it makes hole in your pocket. You are earning in five figures and definitely you can afford to spend time here. It remains open till middle of the night but pub strictly closes by given time. So, pubs have limited options to woo your relationship.

The crowd is young, vibrant, and energetic. No one is pedestrian commuter. There are always different brands of car and motorbike parked in front of the coffee day. Finding a place for parking is really tough and getting a table during the peak time is even tougher. In fact this is coffee shop with a new look and this is no match with the Coffee House. There is limited space to sit and talk and hardly any privacy. There is someone on next table who could listen to your intimate talks. There is always a crowd waiting outside to occupy a table. Its more of a commercial joint which attracts the new corporate underdogs to show off their bits and pieces to each others.
 

Both places offer almost same kind of services, light snacks and coffee. But there is a contrast in the appearance of the place and behaviour of the crowd. The oriental look of Coffee House is not the philosophy of Coffee Day. Coffee Day copies the style and looks of European or American setting. Coffee House could run Indian news channel, whereas coffee day runs non stop MTV. Coffee House honour the philosophy of common people’s affordability. Coffee Day lures the young corporate professionals and techies. The yardsticks and boundaries are created to cater the different crowds.

But the idea of hangout remains the same, to find some solace in meeting. I could wonder if I happen to be the part of this new joint I would be just suffocating. Not because I would not be able to pay the bill but because I would not be able to relate to the new crowd. May be I was part time unofficial member of the coffee house which happened to be the part of my short and sweet journalistic career. I had enjoyed the time in coffee house and I have spent few occasional moments in the Café Coffee Day too. The critics might say that I am hypocrite who does not appreciate the new settings but the reality is I can not wear different mask from being my real one. I may not be able to submerge in the crowd which is based on the imitated and borrowed philosophy from another planet.

The hot anger and sullen face after a cry was some time obvious in the coffee house among the young couple which could be missing here. The fierce and hot debate would not be overheard. The quarreling journalists proving their points will not be seen. But to my astonishment, you will found people sobbing near the car park in front of the coffee day. You will find faces saying good bye to broken relationship but hiding their emotions on the table. It is at this point I become even more nostalgic listening to the Manna De’s song. Sharing and caring, everything was part of the Coffee House. It is here that I realize “A lot can happen over coffee” can not match the “lots happened in the Coffee House”. Though, down but not out, three cheers to Coffee House. Long live Coffee House!