| | Today was my last day at Starbucks. I've been there two years, almost to the day. I remember starting two summers ago, so afraid that I would never learn all the drinks, and that I wouldn't be able to remember the Half Decaf, Double Tall, 4 Pumps, Nonfat, Extra Hot, No Whip, No Foam, White Mocha. As I was driving home, I felt relieved and so happy to be done with work. And then I started thinking of all the customers I've grown to love during my time there, and I felt like crying. At my store, unless we've specifically asked customers for their names, we remember them (and talk about them) as their drink names. Such as, "Oh look, here comes Triple Grande Hazelnut 1% Latte." Or, "Did you hear what Single Tall with Room Americano said this morning?" I like a lot of the regulars that come in, but I definitely have my favorites. I wish I could let them know how much of an impact they've made on me, and how much I appreciate them, but this is probably the closest I'm going to get. So here is a little tribute to some of my favorite Starbucks customers.
Iced Venti Unsweetened Green Tea Biker Guy - He comes in at the same time Monday through Friday in his little spandex biking outfit. He's there as soon as we open, bright and early, so dedicated to his exercise and green teas.
A Cranberry Orange Scone and "I guess I'll take a cup of that disgusting coffee" - One of the grumpiest old men I've ever met. He hated every type of coffee we made (except Christmas blend, which unfortunately only comes out once a year), and he let us know it. But he came in every day without fail and drank it. His name was Jerry, and he owned the vitamin shop a few shops over in the same parking lot. Sometimes a guy who worked in his shop would come down and get his coffee for him, always joking, "Oh no, Jerry's gonna be upset that it's not Christmas blend." About a year ago, Jerry stopped coming in, and his shop closed down. We found out that he was having some family problems, and then learned that he developed some health problems. A little after Christmas, we heard that he had passed away. This past Christmas I thought of him every day I worked when we would make the Christmas blend. Each of the few times that he smiled, it had always made all of our days. Thank you for your endearing grumpiness and honesty. Rest in peace, Jerry.
Iced Venti Black Tea, Iced Grande 2% Latte, & Tall Americano; AKA "The Guys" - A group of three friends who work at the T-Mobile next door. They come in every day at lunch time, sometimes in the morning as well. The type of guys you want to be buddies with. One is always so cheerful and easygoing, another is quiet and genuinely kind, and the other is slightly more serious, yet very outgoing. Three very different personalities, but they all compliment each other, and you can tell they're very good friends.
Six-Shot Venti Breve No Foam Latte - His name is Brian, and he comes in and spends over 6 dollars a day on his coffee. He's a slightly older gentleman, and his doctor eventually told him he needed to cut back on the caffeine. So now whenever he comes in, he gets a venti drip coffee. Poor guy, misses his lattes. Here's to a long life!
Two Short Drips and two heated Lemon Loafs 'for here' - "Try not to take a bite out of them this time, eh?" - Two of my very favorite customers. Two British guys, one tall and one short. They come in every day and get their short drip coffees. The tall one puts about 12 raw sugars in his, and the short one puts 5. They love to chitchat, make jokes, and tease their favorite baristas. Whenever they saw me, they would say "Try not to cause too much trouble, would you?" After I told them I was in a baking program, I didn't think they actually paid attention to the things the baristas talked about, but they would come in every day after that and ask how the baking was going, and when I was going to make them some pastries. Thank you for being so fun and caring. Cheers!
Dopio Espresso with two ice cubes and no lid - He comes in every night, I think from getting dropped off by the bus on his way home from work. Always wears a long coat and a hat, even in the summertime. He has a springy little white mustache, and his bright eyes always have a sparkle in them. I have no idea what his name is, where he works or what he does, and I've never asked. It's just something I'd like to keep a mystery. I'm always happy when I see him walking up with his huge backpack to the store, and we have the same cheerful conversations every time. Today one of my coworkers told him it was my last day, and he looked very surprised, and kind of sad. He asked if I had gotten a new job, and I said that I was graduating from school, and that I hoped to find a new job soon. Then he asked what I went to school for, and I told him baking. This was the most information we had shared in the two years I'd known him. He smiled and told me good luck, and said, "You pour some great espresso," which instantly made me tear up, and I made an excuse and went to the back room to wipe away any tears that had fallen. You have no idea how big of a compliment that was, coming from him. In those few short moments I felt like we had bonded more than we had in 730 days. I'll miss you, dopio espresso with two ice cubes.
Even though I've met my share of snobby, rude, annoying, and sometimes weird customers, it's the regulars that touch you in ways you never expected. I've had my crappy days, and days where I go in with a bad mood, expecting to have a long, boring day, but after they come in the store, I leave with a smile on my face. I don't think I'll ever forget these customers, because they're very special to me. I'll be eighty years old, telling my grandchildren about the two British guys who put tons of raw sugar in their coffee, and warning them not to drink six shots of espresso a day or they'll end up with health problems. I feel so blessed to have met these special people. Thank you! And please be nice to your baristas :) That is all.
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| | Posted 6/25/2008 10:29 PM - 78 Views - 8 eProps - 4 comments
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