Over 30's

This is not a story. It's just another moment on another day when boredom fills my head. It's 11.20PM and i still don't want to sleep. Sleepless night has become an addiction and i'll do anything to stay up till morning. Coffee and talk are the things that can keep me up, but drinking instant coffee in my own room is just boring besides people have gone to bed already. I guess going out to find a place where i can get both things is the last resort.

There is a place called "Over 30's" where i can enjoy a cup of coffee or two. I don't know why this place is called like that. Maybe most of the customers who come are over 30's. One thing that also unique from this place is most of the visitors are men. I have no idea whether all women already sleep at the time like this or this place is for men only. Whatever, i just need coffee and someone to talk to tonight. I come and order an iced coffee.

Some tables are already reserved while the rest are still unreserved. I choose a table where there is already a man sitting on one of the corners. Well, the reason i come here is to drink coffee and have a talk so i find my partner. He has a middle-east face. I guess his age is two or three years older than me.

"May i join ?" , i said to the man and he just nodded.

He keeps moving his head while listening music from his phone but he can still hear me talking to him.

"What you've been doing here ?" i ask again. 

"just looking around" he said."

 "What have you got ?"

 "Nothing"

"Are you from middle-east ?"

"What ? No, it's just my face. But i am native " chuckles. 

He tells me that his actual age is 29. Still being here because he has insomnia and he has his own business so he doesn't need to worry about waking up late in the morning because he makes his own office schedule. He tells me that he wants to take another bachelor degree because he wants to be a doctor. His parents are willing to afford the educational fee as long as he wants to marry immediately. But he refuses, he doesn't want to marry yet because he's not ready to share his life with another person.

We talk a lot about music. It is started when he asks me "Do you like songs ?". That's a weird question i guess. It is supposed to be "Do you like music ?" but i get what he means anyway. He laughs at me when i'm showing him my current playlist. It's kind of outdated. Then he fills me in with music updates. He introduces me to New Age music by giving one song from Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack and he introduces me one song while he is leaving. Song from Lilly Allen titled who'd have known.

"It's 2 o'clock in the morning. Conversation got boring. It's 2 o'clock in the morning. conversation got boring" he sings the lyrics but i know this is a satire.

"Well, ok. Our conversation is getting boring. So, are you leaving ?" i ask.

"Yeah. I leave first. Thanks for the talk dude. See you around"

It's 2 o'clock in the morning. Conversation got boring.

***************** 

Another day at the same place. Now i'm having a talk with a real over 30's guy. He works in one company as business analysts. I introduce myself as computer science student who is used to working as a freelance programmer.

 "So, how does it feel to be 30 something ?" i ask a random question while taking a gulp of cofee.

"It feels great. I enjoy every second of my life. You just live once right ? so you better make the best of it. I never think about what could i've been or what i've been. No regrets, just let it flow"

"Yeah. Life is too short to regret"

"And how do you feel to be twenty something ?" he asks me back.

"Have you ever heard about twenty something syndrome ?"

"They never mentioned that. But from what i have experienced, it's like clueless. You don't know which way to go because you just transfer from teenager to adulthood"

"INDEED ! transition is never easy. I just don't know where to start"

We drag the conversation more into a career talk. I tell him that i ever lost my passion in computer science and want to work in other fields but now i get my passion back. I want to work as a database administrator but unfortunately i have signed a contract with one private bank and i have to work there for four years unless i pay a penalty for the cancelation. He gives me suggestion before leaving the place.

"Look, i am very tired now. I think i have to sleep. Too old to stay up till late hehe. This is an advise from thirthy something guy. You're still young and you still have much time to develop your skill. Choose a job which suits your passion. Just follow your passion. Ok, good luck"

I take a gulp of coffee which is running out. My passion, what is my passion actually ?

There are still a lot of talks with the over 30's. I share about career and work to most of them. Most of them have had a good position in their offices and all of them said that i have to know my passion. I have to know myself first. What is my strength, what is my weaknesses, what i like, what i dislike. This is what i like from having conversation with over 30's guy. They can share their experience and give me advises. Wish i have another nice and valuable talk.