I was at my table at Willow House when I noticed a woman nearby. She was there representing a cause close to her heart — raising awareness around child abuse. She was already talking to me from where she was standing.

So I invited her over.

Her name is Mariah. And it didn’t take long to realize she and I were doing the same thing from different sides of the room. She was inviting people into a conversation they might not have started on their own. So was I. She pulled up a chair.

Willow House — Raleigh, NC: https://willowhousecoffee.com/

The Table Is Yours is a Story House production. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

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From the Studio

This episode is part of The Table Is Yours, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.

Leave a voice message or reflection

The Letterbox

I read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.

Email me at: storytellingpods@gmail.com

Find the House

• Subscribe to our newsletter: https://storyhousestudio.org/subscribe
• Have a seat on The Porch: http://storyhousestudio.org/community
• Support my work buying me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/storyhousestudio

I set up at a two-top at Willow House in Raleigh. Before I’d fully settled in, someone sat down across from me.

I didn’t invite her. She just, sat.

Her name is Takita. She works in marketing and believes that at its best, marketing is about human connection. Not reach. Not metrics. The real thing.

She sat down at a table built for exactly that before I had a chance to explain what the show was.

This is the first episode from Willow House. More to come.

Willow House — Raleigh, NC: https://willowhousecoffee.com/

The Table Is Yours is a Story House production. New episodes every Wednesday.

Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

---

From the Studio

This episode is part of The Table Is Yours, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.

Leave a voice message or reflection

The Letterbox

I read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.

Email me at: storytellingpods@gmail.com

Find the House

• Long-form writing and studio notes: https://storyhousestudio.org
• Support this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/community

I set up at a table. I ordered my drink. I waited. Nobody sat down.

The room was full of conversations I wasn’t part of. I had my phone recording the whole time. After a few hours something shifted — not dramatically, just quietly. I was packing up when Jennifer started talking.

Jennifer owns the shop. She knew I was recording. She said yes.

Visit Sosta Cafe in Raleigh, NC

The Table Is Yours is a Story House production. New episodes every Wednesday.

---

From the Studio

This episode is part of The Table Is Yours, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.

Leave a voice message or reflection

The Letterbox

I read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.

Email me at: storytellingpods@gmail.com

Find the House

• Long-form writing and studio notes: https://storyhousestudio.org
• Support this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/community

Presence over persuasion. Consistency over frequency. http://storyhousestudio.org