Abdo, why hast thou forsaken me?

Update: I spoke to Abdo last night. He feels he was sending the neighborhood mixed signals by combining computer repairs and coffee house (I supposed he has a point there). His skills as a programmer and techie are perhaps better served with a shop focused on selling computer time and talking up customers about his services. But after five years of selling coffee, I find it odd that he'd switch gears right now. I'd noticed an uptick in business in just the past few weeks. All of which may lend credence to rumor, noted below, that he got hit with a big unexpected bill. He did mention that money had become extremely tight. Anyway, I do heartily recommend him for all your tech needs - he claims to undercharge Tek Serve in the City by a bunch, and he's right here. So before lugging your machine into town, give him a try. Just don't expect to get wired anyway but tech-wise.

Internet Coffee House has given up. Or rather Internet Coffee House. Frankly, it's not much of a house either. After talking this place up and meeting with owner Abdo and giving him a pep talk, I feel slightly confused. I even left him a voice mail message just now wondering why, why? Where else was I going to get a damn decent bagel on a Saturday morn? The coffee was way better than DD. And while the place could be confusing and frustrating at times, you could always get a seat and hang out and surf the world wide webernet and sip tea and lately even look outside at passers by and regular Parkside folk like Vince, the kinda sad looking dark skinned man, used to have a beard then he shaved it but it's growing back, who sits on a crate most days, rarely asking for money just sitting, clearly a bit disturbed but very, very sweet though shaky, and I say hi to him now when I pass and it feels a lot better than saying nothing. Where was I? Oh yeah, the eulogy.

It could be that money just couldn't be squeezed from grinder. A fairly substantial rumor from one who would know is that Abdo got slapped with a major fine, perhaps from the Dept of Health, though he always got high grades.

I for one will mourn its passing as the oddest, and yet somehow most comforting, underdog of the coffee wars. You can still get on the computers and you can still get your computer competently fixed and you can still drop off your packages for UPS. But I won't be doing any of those things, at least til my computer breaks, and it saddens me not to traverse its awkward upward step at the doorway anymore. So long ICH!