Human Oddities (a character study)

On weekends, I frequent a local Starbucks* for a slow-drunk venti Americano and some alone time for writing.

While my focus is the writing, I can't help but watch people a bit, can't help but see some weirdness.

Twice in recent weeks, I've seen the same attractive, clearly well-off woman come in, buy coffee, sit down, and then wander over to the newspaper rack.

Both times, she made a show of rummaging through the freebies--left-overs from previous patrons--before grabbing a brand new paper and slinking off without paying.

Now here's a person who, by all appearances, life has treated well. Yet she sells her integrity for the price of a newspaper (50 cents weekdays and Saturday, $1.25 Sunday).

I'd love to understand what goes through her mind, love to know if she's enthralled by the skulduggery, or if--in her head--anything that she can get away with is okay. Or is it something else entirely?

I'll never ask her, of course. That kind of confrontation is not my style. But still, I'd love to know.

Somewhere along the line, I'm sure something like this behavior will find its way into one of my characters.


*sadly, the Starbucks juggernaut killed the competition I cared for (Seatle's Best and Dietrich)