Alternative titles: Meeting a shy student at a coffee shop | Cute writer wants to sit with you | Nervous stranger approaches you in a café | Getting complimented by a cute nerd | Anxious stranger practices giving compliments on you | helping a shy guy/girl gain confidence

Introduction (for listeners): You decide to grab a drink from a small, local coffee shop, during busy hours. Since all other tables are taken and yours has enough space for two, a very shy stranger gathers their courage to come up to you…

Summary (for speakers): The speaker character struggles with social anxiety but tries to get out of their shell, open up and talk to people more. They end up rambling about their struggles and ask the listener to help them practise talking to people, giving compliments, in specific.

~1800 words/ 10-15 mins Audio

Usage: Go ham. Adjust wording, change stuff, improvise, add or remove scenes, make it nsfw if you want. Ask me if you have any questions about the contents/format/rules/whatever. Please keep my scripts M4A/F4A/A4A. 

Monetization/paywall is ok, as long as I get credited and can listen to it afterwards! Have fun :D

Sfx optional but it enhances the experience if you have access

Setting: A small, local coffee shop during busiest hours

Sidenote: you can sip a drink during pauses and in between sentences to really sell the setting, just try not to choke please

[these are for sfx, vocal cues, actions or other remarks] 

italics are for emphasising a word

— — — 

[sfx: Busy coffee shop ambiance. People talking, cups clinking, quiet music?, some chairs scraping, coffee machines, etc.]

[nervous:] Ah, uhm… sorry, could I sit with you? 

Heh, yeah. It’s really busy around this time of day and I couldn’t find a free table…

​

[short pause]

​

[sigh of relief] Thank you.

[sfx: chair scraping/couch making sounds as speaker sits down]

Good gods- Talking to people and stuff is… really hard for me. Sorry if I come off as weird- 

[clears throat]

​

[short pause]

​

Oh, did you come here to read? If so, go right ahead. I don’t plan on annoying you or anything.

[very short pause]

No, seriously. I just came here to write a bit, so don’t feel obligated to talk to me.

Unless you’re in the mood for a little chat…?

​

[short pause]

​

So… are you taking a break from work right now?

[very short pause]

I get that. Sometimes it’s really nice to just be able to shut off for a bit, enjoy a cozy drink and get lost in thought. 

Do you come here often, by the way? I’ve never seen you around, and I’d consider myself a regular.

​

[short pause]

​

Second time? Yeah, that makes sense. 

In my opinion, this place is the best in the area.

Like, once you find it, you just gotta come back. 

[very short pause]

That was the case for me, at least. The drinks are absolutely fantastic and the staff are all so nice and welcoming.

[very short pause]

Have you tried any of the cakes yet? They’ll blow your mind. Promise!

Or, maybe don’t try them- You might get addicted…

[very short pause of thinking]

Though, that would mean I’d get to see you around more often…

You should definitely try the cake.

[sincere laugh] 

Yes, they’re really that good.

I know the guy who makes ‘em and he’s an absolute sweetheart. He bakes them fresh every day. 

Sometimes, we hang out after hours. Just sit here and eat some of the leftovers.

That’s one of the reasons I love this particular coffee shop. Once you get to know the people, you’re basically family here.

[very short pause]

I also love to people-watch whenever I’m not buried in my writing. 

It’s so fascinating to see everyone rush by as though there’s no tomorrow. 

[very short pause]

[sigh] Usually I come in either before or after the busy hours, but this time, I couldn’t avoid it. 

Normally, I love the place because of how calm and quiet it is. But today, I have plans later on and figured, either I have to come here a bit earlier than usual or not at all.

Even though I knew it’d be packed, I thought I’d give it a try anyways, maybe get some writing done.

[very short pause]

I struggle with doing stuff at home… getting inspired and motivated to work is really tricky when you could just as well be laying in bed, watching youtube or streaming netflix.

Somehow, when I’m outside, the pressure to perform is much higher. 

And the distractions aren’t half as… distracting anymore. 

Like, have you ever seen somebody watch youtube out in the open?? [small but sincere laugh]

[amused:] It’s so weird.

​

[short pause]

​

Yeah, I dunno.

Somehow, it just works a lot better when I’m out. Maybe it’s the background sounds, or feeling like you have to do something while you’re sipping your coffee. 

Who knows…

Or, it could also be all the people around. 

For me, it always helps to realise I’m not completely alone and shut off from the world. 

I just feel like a part of something when I’m sat here, typing away on my computer, or scribbling on my notepad.

[very short pause]

Either way, somehow, it works! That’s the important part, isn’t it?

And sometimes, you get to meet really interesting people when you’re outside. Like right now, for example.

Or the other day, I saw someone in a bear costume walk by and wave at me.

I technically didn’t meet them, since we didn’t talk or anything, but that was a lot more exciting than sitting at home all by myself.

Somehow, it just made me smile.

[very short pause]

I’m also trying to build up my confidence and get better about talking to people.

Normally, I would have turned on my heel, seeing how full the place is. 

Just the thought of having to talk to somebody used to make me physically tremble.

But I’m really proud of myself for being able to have a conversation with a stranger right now!

And I have to say; thank you for allowing me to talk to you. You could just as well have put on headphones, or pulled out your phone to ignore me, but you didn’t.

And to be honest, I’m really glad about that.

You could have just scoffed at me when I asked to sit with you. Or tell me to piss off.
But you didn’t.

[very short pause]

I mean, I’m working on the whole confidence thing. I still can’t go up to people and tell them ‘Oh, I really like your jacket’ or ‘Your boots are cool’ or ‘Hey, I love your hair colour’.

Those are the kinds of things I always think, when I see people. 

And I know they probably would love to hear it, especially since a lot of folks are really insecure, but I still really struggle with it.

​

[short pause]

​

Yeah, I guess I should just try it sometime. 

What’s the worst that can happen?

Murder, technically… But I’m sure nobody would kill anyone over a compliment. 

[very uncertain:] Right-?

[very short pause]

[small sigh] I don’t really want to get spat or scoffed at, either. Or what if they just roll their eyes- Or completely ignore me, because I’m annoying-?

[deep breath to calm down]

Sorry…

I uh… tend to spiral sometimes. It’s not really fun…

As I said, I’m trying to work on it and all, but anxiety is one son of a bitch to handle.

[very short pause]

It’s actually really sad to see how many people suffer from social anxiety for seemingly no reason.

Well, not no reason. People are pretty scary. 

And way back when, everyone’s survival did depend on being able to fit in. 

For them, it really was life or death to be accepted by others, since humans needed a group to flourish.

But it’s absolute bullshit that we still have to live with that now. 

And it’s so irritating when you know it’s not crucial, and you know it’s unlikely for anyone to get mad at you over nothing.

[very short pause]

You know what I mean, don’t you-?

[small chuckle] Yeah.

​

[short pause]

​

Honestly, thank you for being so nice about this. I’m really surprised I’m able to talk so much right now. I swear, I’m usually much quieter.

[very short pause]

Do you get that often? That you’re easy to talk to, I mean.

Because I do, for some reason. People seem to love to open up to me…

I don’t really mind it, I just don’t get why that happens. 

​

[short pause]

​

I do find it super interesting to talk to people. 

Hearing their stories and all… seeing how they tick. 

How different they are from what I expect, based on movie stereotypes…

​

[short pause]

​

As a kid I didn’t really have friends, so I had to rely on books and movies to learn about how people function, and on there, it’s always the same few tropes over and over again.

Most people don’t fit into these tropes even remotely. And that was… a weird lesson to have to learn. [small chuckle]

To be honest, you seem like the book-ish type as well. Maybe that’s why I felt most comfortable coming up to you. 

Because you looked approachable. 

[shy chuckle]

Hey, that was almost a compliment!

Can I try again? To practise and build confidence, I mean-

[jokingly:] You’d be my first victim, so to say.

You… you obviously don’t have to say yes. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable because of me-

​

[short pause]

​

[sigh of relief, followed by a little chuckle] 

It kinda is over the top how much I worry. I know…

It’s really unreasonable and weird, but I mean… normally, a person could just walk away, but you’re kinda stuck here with a half finished drink and a random weirdo sitting at your table…

[very short pause]

Right, back on track.

Would you be okay with me practising compliments on you?

[very short pause]

[happy/excited:] Awesome, thank you! 

[deep breath to gather courage]

I like your shirt, the colour really suits you.

[very short pause]

Was that good?

[very short pause]

I guess if it were me walking up to somebody at random it’d probably be more like ‘hey nice shirt’ or something like that…

I don’t know…

But it does flatter you.

It really brings out your eyes. Makes ‘em pop, you know?

You have really pretty eyes. 

[very short pause]

Every time somebody says that it just gives me serial killer ‘I want to put your eyes in a jar’ vibes, but I don’t know how else to phrase it…

You know, like when dentists say you have good teeth? It always feels so weird…

[genuine laugh] Imagine somebody coming up to you and telling you they like your teeth-

But on the other hand…

If I go up to a stranger and tell them they have a nice smile, is that weird?

Maybe-

Could I try?

I… I like your smile.

​

[short pause]

​

It worked! You’re smiling.

I could also say ‘You’re really pretty’ or ‘Your outfit is awesome’ or ‘I love that ring you’re wearing’, right?

I guess it depends on the situation-?

I’m not really sure…

Because sometimes, it’s these really small things I notice about somebody. Like the way they do their eyeliner, or the tattoo they have, or the way they did their hair, or the pretty bump on their nose.

Do you think it’s weirder to tell somebody they’re pretty… or that I like their eyebrows-?

​

[short pause]

​

Because on one hand, saying somebody is ‘pretty’ or ‘handsome’ is much stronger and like… broader, you know? 

But on the other hand, who am I to decide that-? 

Who am I to tell somebody they’re pretty, without having seen them on a bad day, right?

[very short pause]

I think the concept of ‘pretty’ is kinda shallow, to be honest. Because it’s ‘pretty’ to whom? 

Does it really matter if I find somebody good looking? Or am I saying that I deem them ‘pretty to society’?

But in the end, I’m worried I’d just freak people out, when I come up to them and say ‘nice eyebrows’, or ‘cool shoes’, you know? Because; does that raise the question whether I was staring at them, to evaluate if their eyebrows look good…?

[very short pause]

[small sigh] I’m overcomplicating it again, aren’t I-?

Yeah… I mean, if somebody came up to me and said something like ‘hey I like your hair’ or ‘you have nice hands’, I think I’d just… be flattered. No weird thoughts or anything.

​

[pause, maybe sfx: phone alarm ringing/beeping/vibrating]

​

Oh shit-!

Damn it, I have to leave soon. I didn’t realise how late it was already-

Thank you so much for chatting with me, I hope I didn’t seem too strange. [small chuckle]

It was an absolute pleasure to get to talk to you!

[sfx: chair scraping, speaker hastily getting up, maybe cup clinking?]

And uhm… if you ever see me sitting here on my own and feel like talking to me, I wouldn’t mind if you did. 

Only if you want to, of course. 

Have a great day! 

[already on the way out:] By the way; I really like your voice-

[sfx: faint hurried footsteps] 

[sfx fade out]