[aroundwithTK rolls into a coffee shop on Melrose Ave, places an order, parks at a table and pulls her pocket-sized notebook from her fanny pack. this is the ink on those two tiny pages]

11:11. seasonal pumpkin spice chai latte with coconut milk. hot. almost a chil outside, not really. middle of the day, sun at the top of the sky, almost. dry lips. how could I forget chapstick. something’s wrong, nothing’s wrong, that’s what’s wrong. I don’t know what’s going on. I do. what to do? what to write? what to say? what to be? 12.48. no more coconut milk at cafes, an upcharge of $1.25?! pumpkin spice, 0.75. croissant: FIVE! who’s on the one-dollar bill? a whole five of him for one of them. France. I need to see you again, be with you again. it all made so much sense. dingy Dior sneakers on the man’s feet next to me, other side of the glass. other side of life, the world. Amore denim jacket, puts on, packs MacBook into bag. Kelly bag, crossbody, she comes back in to coffee shop, “cow’s milk?!” claims of lactose intolerance. not convinced, neither me. Hokas on feet. Bose on ears. these people are supposed to be here. I want my money back, I want my money’s worth. I’m hurt. I’m healed. always need to be filled. the library, that’s where I was supposed to be. distractions ruin me. a tip? work that pays your worth. not from me. your company. so fcked up, this society. wasn’t worth it. won’t be back. probably will. gonna spend it anyway, somewhere. light bill, unpaid. LADWP waits to hear from me and they will. Substack? Medium? YouTube? my own [dot]com? matcha cups, filled up. girl with Hermes and friend, gone. left on table. wasteful. nothing to them. what a dream, for it to be nothing to me. little things, no stress, freedom. hustle. search. work to work. pennies? pinching! gigs? taking ‘em! doesn’t matter.

I could’ve bought two weeks’ worth of coffee and croissants. bye.