Surfing at The Bean 
I was desperate to try out my new Wi-Fi from SBC Yahoo. Since I already have their DSL, for $1.99 per month, I can connect at a bunch of SBC Yahoo hotspot locations . Most of them are The Coffee Bean .
Some hotels and restaurants. And believe it or not - a strip club in Hollywood, which I will definitely be passing on.
This is beneficial to me, as I am always attached to my computer. It may actually get me out of the house more often.
I called around to a few Coffee Beans, just to make sure.
Well, the huge one on Sunset and Fairfax said their network had been down for a while.
Then I called the one on Hillhurst in Los Feliz.
Yes, they had the Wi-Fi and as far as they knew it was working fine.
So off I went.
The good thing about the Hillhurst Coffee Bean is that there is a big parking lot right there.
I don't like the idea of walking 2 or 3 city blocks with an expensive piece of computer equipment in a bag over my shoulder.
If someone wants it, all they have to do is knock me down and grab it.
So, especially at night, if I am going out with my computer - there has to be adequate parking.
I got in line behind three jumpy teenyboppers. They were selling candy. Asked me if I wanted to buy some candy.
"No. Are you in line ?" I asked.
Yes, they were, and they formed a line.
The one jumpy teenybopper was so jumpy, she looked like she had to pee. Maybe she had been eating to much candy.
Or drinking to much coffee. Or both.
The guy at the counter said "Next".
The three girls just stood there, looking around the cafe like they had never been in a cafe before.
I said "He said Next."
They hopped to it.
After they were done with their order, they just stood there. Not moving away from the counter.
The Clerk looked at me through the maze of teenybopper girls.
"Hi, May I help you" he said loudly.
The teenyboppers jumped and moved.
"First, let me check. You have Wi-Fi, and its working, right ?" I said.
The clerk looked at me "I guess", he said totally clueless.
The other clerk, said yes we do.
I said oh, good.
The first said "Oh, but you have to pay for it."
I said "Oh, I have SBC Yahoo, and you are listed on their website for the service that I pay for."
He just looked at me "Yeah, okay".
I said "Will it work in your patio area? Or is it just indoors?"
Once again, the clerk had no idea.
The guy in the line next to me, there with his girlfriend, decided to help out.
"Oh, they have it on a router. And it goes all around the building. So it should work fine on the patio."
"Oh, thank you" I said.
This customer knew more about the services of the Coffee Bean, then the employees did.
I ordered my Decaf Cappuccino and Oatmeal Cookie.
Then I went to the Pick-Up counter to wait.
The Barister - what are they called, those who make the coffees, kept calling out "Eva !"
Eva had two drinks there. Oh, no - I bet its those jumpy teenyboppers.
Sure enough, as my drink was ready, the three girls came up.
I said "Is your name Eva - those are your drinks."
Turns out Eva wanted a Frappacino, and Coffee Bean doesn't make those. I think thats a Starbucks thing.
So they accidentally gave her a Cappaccino.
I just made sure I asked the Barister if my Cappaccino was a decaf. And I left as they were all arguing about the frappaccino.
The only seats available were out on the patio. I found a seat close to the building that was well lit.
Gee, I was the only one with a computer.
Everything worked, I got logged on. And was reading my blogs on Bloglines .
Here came a group of 5 guys, all about in their 30s, who sat right across with me.
Out came the cigarettes.
Smoke everywhere.
Oh, no I can't wait until the leave, so I can breath again.
Oh, no - here come the jumpy teenyboppers.
They sit right next to me.
They better not knock my table and knock my computer.
I am busy surfing.
The jumpy teenyboppers are busy starring at the 30-something guys who are smoking.
Especially the one who looked like she had to pee, and tried to sell me the candy.
She can't stop looking at them. And she is not even 16 yet - more like 13.
I am thinking that if she does something, like approaches one of the guys, or if they approach the girls, I might say something.
But the men are completely ignoring her.
And then ..... along comes the Mother.
Yeah! for the Mom. Just in the nick of time. She needs to watch that girl.
The mother sits in the middle of the girls, and all is better with the world.
I can go back to surfing.
Finally, the smokers leave. I am happy for maybe 10 minutes.
Its getting cold.
And some more smokers arrive.
I see there are seats inside, and I decide its time to move.
Once inside, most of the other customers have left. And I have the place to myself.
A few people come in to buy coffees, and they look at my computer screen like they have never seen the Internet on a laptop before. I guess this is all news to them.
I leave before the battery runs out.
But once home, I can't fall asleep till close to 3 am.
Dern it, the Cappaccino was not Decaf.
