".. when you need to find coffee and donuts, go get a cop.."

7:35am
Au Coqulet Cafe
Milvia and University
Berkeley, California

Walked into coffee shop to get caffienated. French owner asks me what I need. I reply curtly..

"French Roast. Room for cream."

He passes on the order to counter help, I pick up BearClaw pastry.

He stops, looks at me, asks

"Dont I know you? You look VERY familar."

"Of course you do, Ive been in here a lot."

He peers then leans over to me..

"Are you a cop?"

I think "Christ, another paranoid Berkeleyite who thinks everybody is an undercover cop." I laugh and answer..

"No, but I get that a lot."

He doesnt laugh, and repeats sotto voce, "But you ARE a cop, right?"
I laugh and say "No, but I have cop genes. My father was a police officer."

"Oh. Well, you look familiar", and then he laughs, a little nervously I notice.

I'll put that into my report.

I pick up my coffee and its not until later that I realize I shoulda said "yes, I am an officer"; then maybe I woulda gotten my caffiene gratis from now on.

"Shitza!", as Kate would say.


-----
Whoo, Im still highly caffienated. Think I'll go catch a movie.

That Lord of the Rings one, then "Bad Santa", and then mebbe that Jack Nicholson flick.

Pay for one matinee, sneak into others.

Oaklanders call this "hopping".