Letter fro a cafe near you

摘要

I'm sitting at my table in the Tate Modern cafe sipping a coffee, when, as the incoming tide gently swells the Thames six floors below, I feel a surge of guilt at odds with my surroundings. Regular lattes don't usually evoke such strong emotions, and I didn't even add sugar. I've pulled out my laptop to do a bit of work. Why not take a break, you might think; but the temptation to keep the work plate spinning, even at lunch, is overwhelming because it's so easy. I count another five laptops around me. Are we really that busy, can't it wait? Or are we simply taking advantage of the fact that the 'office' is fast becoming a place that is wherever you choose it to be? My guilt is fuelled by awareness of 'genuine' customers looking for somewhere to sit and eat. What's the etiquette?