on writing without an office

Fun thing about living anywhere other than New York City—coffee shops close at 2 and 3pm. Everything else is a food-only establishment, or a bar (and I’m sober), leading to a stunning lack of places that are not my apartment for me to write in. And I like my apartment, I do, it’s just where I do my day job, and where I sleep, and where I do almost everything else, so it’s not the most conducive to creativity.

Enter Uncharted Tea.

It’s a boba shop on the main street near me, walking distance and open till 8pm. There’s a huge table next to a bookshelf of board games, and more often than not it’s full of high schoolers. The drinks are all vaguely nautical themed and they leave the windows open even when it’s cold out, for the sake of fresh air, but it’s perfect. Diverse clientele (no small feat in Maine), sweet-but-not-too-sweet drinks, counter space, open past every other coffee shop—there’s not much more a girl could ask for.

People sometimes ask about my alphasmart, or what I’m working on, but the air is nonjudgmental and curious. I’ve always loved when other peoples’ conversations fade into background noise, and this is perfect for that. There’s bay windows that overlook Congress, and a secondhand bookstore across the street, and it just really drives home how important it is to have a space that’s just for you.

Now.

I haven’t managed to make any friends there—in everyone’s defense, I’m clattering away on a piece of y2k tech and not exactly welcoming conversation—but it could happen. I like to imagine some other writer appearing, writing in a worn leather notebook and casually asking what I’m working on. Or the baristas recognizing me and making my order (a large Point Nemo and a 16oz cup of hot water…no not tea…yep, just the water…hot though, right) and smiling knowingly when they see my alphasmart. I don’t know what Phase II looks like, finding a boba shop was hard enough. Will keep y’all posted, though.