The Coffee Shop.

This morning I visited a local unspecified coffee shop.  I was there meeting a couple friends and upon arriving said my hellos and that I would be right back after I ordered my beverage.  Heading up to the counter, I saw one person at the register and stood behind her.  During the next few moments, others entered the shop and stood to my side.  I thought to myself, “This is a little weird.  Perhaps normally the line is to the side instead of behind, but surely these folks can see that I am next.”  But, to my dismay, the first person to my side walked up right in front of me.  Now, I am working pretty diligently on finding a balance between being more assertive and being kind. In this situation, I chose to keep quiet, scoot closer in and make eye contact with the next person (what is it about eye contact??!!).  When the person at the counter finished, I was able to approach the counter with no conflict. 

Now, truly unfortunate was the customer service I received once reaching the counter.  You would have thought I arrived at her home in the middle of dinner with her family on a holiday and demanded a cup of coffee for the amount of attitude that was being handed out.  I don’t think I ordered that.  I am pretty sure I just said, “May I please have a small cup of regular coffee, half caff?”  True I did ask for the freshest one, but who wouldn’t?  

This whole situation got me thinking about the rudeness of people.  Where on earth does that come from?  Did someone step on their cat this morning (just for the record, stepping on cats does not bother me in the least!)?  I mean what makes a person ignore another person in line?  Wouldn’t it have been easier, albeit not as fast for them, to have said, “Miss (notice I didn’t say Ma’am) are you in line?  The line usually goes this way.” But instead they clearly had something so important to get to, that they just had to pretend I wasn’t there.  Apparently they were getting coffee for someone on their death bed who had made coffee their last request! 

And the barista...I mean what??  I’ve been a barista.  I know you’re tired, I know it’s possible you woke up earlier than God this morning, but c’mon!! You’re basically getting paid to fake politeness, so earn your wage. If the “man’s keeping you down” than do something about it, but give me my frickin’ coffee with a smile!  After all, that is what I paid for, well that and coffee.