Four Cafes

On a cold January night, l study the nightscape of the city below my eagles nest apartment window. I'm drawn to the lights of four cafes, arranged in close proximity on the cobbled streets. The old city is crammed closely together, traditional and modern jostling for space. How do they survive, competing with each other? I consider each in turn. One has fairy lights strung, multi colored, swinging along, entwined, moving in the wind. Another has a purple flashing neon sign spelling out its name. It flashes in rhythmic pattern - quick - quick - slow. The thirds harsh cold fluorescent light breaks the dark, a hard rectangle of white. And the fourth is lit by lanterns, glowing warmly in golden orange inside the windows. Muted and intimate. I realise each attracts it's own crowd, drawn in and defined by the lighting. I think about which one attracts me the most, and why. 155 words