My name is Brad. I am a writer, I am awkward in social situations, and I spend a lot of time in coffee shops trying to escape all of the terribly distracting things I find at home (video games, movies, tv, cats, comics, vitamin water, robots, etc.). I rotate amongst local coffee shops throughout the week so that no single location becomes too familiar with my presence. Spending any appreciable amount of time in one place is bound to make you privy to the occasional odd situation, but I have come to believe that coffee shops are breeding grounds for weird. The following is my account of the wonderfully weird and horribly awkward situations I have encountered.

Staring Contest.

I’ve been branching out to new Starbucks lately (for a few reasons).  Yesterday I decided to join my friend Derek at the Crystal Cove Promenade Starbucks off of PCH.  Upon arrival, it was immediately clear that this was going to be an interesting Starbucks.
Two police officers were inside talking to a shaggy Charles Manson-looking fellow.  [...]