Rudeness...and everthing that follows...

Coffee shops are interesting places...working at one is even more interesting.


When all is said and done, with the pompousness of boutique coffee out of the way, being a Barista is a two sided job. 1. bar-tending, & 2. People watching. (most likely this is why I love this job)

Fair-warning to all my friends in Houston, if you come into Taft Street Coffee you will most likely end up on this blog in some form....

I get a lot of odd people in the coffee shop in the mornings. As I stated in my previous blog there are a lot of different lifestyles, and economic classes that intermingle here. There is something to be said about a heart surgeon hanging out with a painter, a homeless man, and a transvestite...it's a beautiful thing and a common occurrence here at Taft.

One thing that is not common here at Taft street is rudeness...there have been very few times that I have had a "rude" customer, but it does happen and unfortunately the rude ones are often more memorable then the nice ones...
I love people, I find it harder to love people who are rude in general, I find it exponentially harder to love people who are rude to me.

Usually my days here consist of serving a lot of drip coffee, and the occasional latte. However today was a different story...I have had more "complicated" orders then any other day working here...I don't mind this, in fact I welcome it, because it makes me feel like a real barista. I get to make drinks people will enjoy and I get to show off my Latte art abilities...which are improving. Although I enjoy making Mocha's, Latte's, Americanos, and the many variations on all of the drinks here at our coffee shop, I am weary to do so, for fear that I will mess up.

Today while fixing a White chocolate non-fat mocha for a customer, she informed me that I had failed to use non-fat milk and had instead used whole milk (not true). I assured her that I had used non-fat milk and offered to make her another drink if she was not satisfied. She was not. I began to make the second drink, making sure she could see that I used non-fat milk, and she stood waiting with her arms crossed and a lot (like ridiculous amounts) of huffing and puffing. I completed her drink and set it down on the counter, she took a sip, and then spit it out...right on to the counter...she set the drink down, informed me again that I had not used non-fat milk, I assured her that I had, and she gave me one of those "you're a f@cking idiot and you don't know what your talking about" looks, and stomped out the door with all the gusto of a six year old throwing a tantrum. ( I have seen a few of these at the house and I feel it was comparable.)

I disposed of her drink and cleaned up my station, wondering the whole time if I had done a good job of not being rude to her in return for her rudeness. ( as far as I can recall I kept a smile on my face the whole time.Though the second time around I am sure I had a "b*tch please tell me this is wrong again" smile) This thought process began me thinking about other people that I have had poor experiences with both here at Taft and at other coffee shops I have worked in, and I have had many.

Working at Coffee shops has enlightened me in many parts of my life but it has confused me in one...I don't understand how people can be so rude and upset over a beverage...it just doesn't make any sense...I make a living off making these drinks and they aren't even that important to me...


If the women who I served happens upon this blog...Have a nice day!


Peace, Love, Happiness

Isaac