Gripping the hood of my raincoat, I hauled down Main Street to Nat’s Nook. It was a relentlessly rainy day. Probably the third of five in a row. The day before, the bullying wind broke the limbs of my umbrella, so I was a little grumpy. And wet. But once my husband Eric and I got inside, my grumpiness began to fade. It’s hard to feel surly in Nat’s.
Nat’s is cozy and inviting, with warm lighting, fun merchandise, and a living room vibe with several quotes decorating the walls. I often find these kinds of dictums corny. The saying “Live, laugh, love” sort of annoys me — what if I don’t want to laugh? — but Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air,” written on the wall upon entering, made me smile. And though there wasn’t a hint of sunshine to live in right then, it was warm and dry in Nat’s — a privilege often taken for granted.
The place was bustling with a decently long line of hungry customers. The tables were full, but as luck would have it, someone left, and Eric slid in. I ordered a No. 5 — an egg, Swiss cheese, spinach, and mushrooms on a bagel of choice. I picked an everything bagel because at that moment I craved everything. Eric chose a No. 2 — an egg, Cheddar cheese, and bacon on a plain bagel. We both got lattes, and I grabbed an almond croissant as well.
There were only two young women working, and they were hustling. Era Qesja was on the grill, and Nicole Szfura was on the register, making coffee, bringing food to customers, and doing her best to keep things moving. “We weren’t sure if it’d be busy. You just never know,” Qesja told me. “But I guess everyone wants to be inside and cozy today.”
While we waited for our sandwiches and lattes, we munched on the croissant, which was just how I like them — mildly sweet, flaky, and buttery, but not greasy.
One thing I like about sitting in cafes is absorbing bits of conversations around me. A woman sitting at a table next to us was working on her laptop. Since there weren’t any open tables, another woman asked her if she could share the table. “Yes. I’m working, though, so I won’t be able to talk,” the woman responded. The other woman thanked her, sat down, and opened a book.
To the right of me a family was spread out on the cushioned bench area. Dad and son were parked on one end, laughing over something on Dad’s phone; Mom and daughter were snuggled together on the other end, eating and discussing something I couldn’t hear. Behind me sat a pair of older gentlemen quietly chatting, and braving the rain, a group of men dressed head to toe in rain gear sat outside, their bike helmets taking up chairs of their own.
Nicole brought us our hot sandwiches and mouthwatering lattes, and we dug in. Popeye and I have a lot in common. No, I don’t have massive forearms, but man, I love spinach. I also love mushrooms and Swiss cheese, so the combo was delicious, and paired nicely with the everything bagel. Eric seemed to be enjoying his meal as well, because he ate every bite (rather quickly, I might add).
The place had slowed a bit, so we relaxed and enjoyed our lattes. Eric and I are fans of going to cafes and simply hanging out — letting go of deadlines, must-dos, and hurry-ups. These siestas provide time to simply connect. And it seemed like we weren’t the only ones connecting. The family had scooted closer together, and were making plans for the day. “I want to go try to see sharks,” the boy said. “Are we still getting frozen yogurt?” the girl asked. And the woman who couldn’t talk because she had work to do was exuberantly sharing her drawings with the other woman, who had set her book down to listen.
Letting go of grumpiness, closing our laptop to talk to the stranger, enjoying a No. 5 with someone we love can put life into perspective. And as corny as the “Live, laugh, love” quote may be — dare I say it? — it’s kind of true.
Before I left, I asked Qesja and Szfura if I could take their picture. Szfura was soaking wet from walking to the store to get more milk, and Qesja was looking a tad harried, but they good-naturedly agreed. The camaraderie they shared, working as a cohesive team under very busy conditions, came through in the photo, and it warmed my heart. When we left, it was still raining, but I was relaxed, satiated, and happy. I didn’t even bother to pull up my hood.
Nat’s Nook, 38 Main St., Vineyard Haven, 508-338-2340. Check out the website at natsnookmv.com.
