<p>While walking through the halls on a normal day of school, it was impossible for me to overlook the amount of dull faces passing by. Welcome to Hershey, highly regarded as the most boring town in Central Pennsylvania by the student body. During my five years living in this little chocolate bubble, its easy to witness the lack of interaction we have with the outside world. So students complain about the lack of a social gathering place outside of school. However, a few of us know a small coffee shop cleverly secluded between a supermarket and a veterinarian center. To high school students, the Harbor House Café is the gathering place for long hours of study or relaxation amidst a cozy atmosphere.</p>
<p>One day after school, Andrew stopped me in the noisy halls and invited me to the Harbor House to listen to a live gig of his unnamed band. With my mind clouded in boredom and stress, I swiftly agreed and raced out to his car in the parking lot. Andrew, with his arms full of books and a guitar case, stumbled a few steps as he cautiously lifted the trunk only to fling all of his belongings inside. </p>
<p>The five-minute car ride was filled with mindless gossip of anything from past musical rehearsals to tomorrows Biology test. As we pulled up in the parking lot of the small, auburn colored building, I helped Andrew with his guitar case as we walked towards the entrance way. I took notice of the familiar blue sign that read Harbor House bolted on the front panel. As we approached the entrance, a couple swung open the door and a warm aroma of and espresso grazed by cheeks. I sprinted in and abruptly shut the door behind Andrew to shield the customers inside from the cold winter air. Inside, my body was immediately greeted by the rich atmosphere. Looking outside, the rest of Hershey was nothing more than a cold and savage world. </p>
<p>The inside of the café was no bigger than the first floor of my house. As I walked to the corner of the room to help Andrew connect his amp, I looked around at the five or six people quietly conversing over cups of coffee. The room had such a relaxing atmosphere. The delightful peach colored walls were covered with various paintings of fruit baskets and portraits. There was a red and blue rug in the center of the room accompanied by a couch to give it a nice at-home feel. Along the side of the room was a neat arrangement of cushioned stools with a Macintosh computer in the far corner open to public use. There was even a fireplace with a roaring flame, comforting the freezing guests as they scrambled for warmth.</p>
<p>After the initial setup and sound check, I was greeted by the additional two members of Andrews band, Robert and Max, who played the drums and electric bass, respectively. While they were warming up, I plopped myself on the tan and leather couch and admired the tranquility of the scene. In a matter of minutes, Andrews band began with a cover song of Coldplays Yellow. As soon as the song began, I was soaked into the amazing acoustics of the small room. I could hear every little detail including Andrews fingers against his guitar strings while his voice resonated across the room. The drums and bass nicely complemented the guitar and vocals as the room filled with music. A few guests stopped conversing and looked up only to be entranced in the melody. After several other songs from various artists including Coldplay, Incubus, Dave Matthews, and Flutter, Andrews band concluded and thanked the listeners and proceeded to pack up their instruments. Having enjoyed the show thoroughly, I graciously dug through my pockets. Finally, after unearthing a pile of lint and paper, my hands fell on a creased $10 bill at the bottom. I rose from the couch and walked to the counter as I unfolded the bill. Behind the counter, the workers were all Hershey High students. The employees gave me a warm greeting as I set the $10 bill on the counter and bought coffee for the band members and a Kiwi Slush for myself. Only I would ever think of ordering something freezing in this weather. The exhausted band came over and took their coffee and thanked me in the process. Thanks to the relaxing atmosphere of the café, Andrews music, and the Kiwi Slush that danced on my tongue ended the afternoon on a relaxing note. I helped my friends move their belongings into their cars and we drove home. In less than a year, when I attend college in a big city, I can only ponder of what my life was like in this little hamlet. Though my future will be very different from now, I will never forget about the sweet parts of life in Hershey. Namely, this small secluded café in the middle of nowhere.</p>