A glimpse inside the Cafe

I had a very funny, yet all too common reptilian incident that happened today.

image credit: flickr.com 

I was making the drinks on the espresso bar this afternoon, when amidst the long line of people, a youngish, very impatient lady asked if her tall sugar free, skim caramel latte would be up anytime soon. I looked at my queue of drinks, and didn’t see it. There was a tall skinny hazelnut latte that had been ready for several minutes on the receiving area.

I said to her, “There is a tall skinny hazelnut latte up, which is sugar free and nonfat, is this yours?”

“No, I had a SUGAR-FREE, SKIM latte with CARAMEL in it,” she said disdainfully, with a why must I deal with these incompetents look on her face.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t get that one, I’ll make it for you right now,” I said, as I passed the next lady’s tall caramel brulee latte. When the irate customer tried to grab it, I said,

“No, that one is her’s. I’m making yours right now.”

As I was marking the cup, my coworker, who had seen what was happening, came over, and said, “ma’am, that one is yours. You asked for a skinny hazelnut latte.”

With a blank look on her face, she said without remorse, “Well, I’m sorry, how am I supposed to know how to order these fancy drinks?”

After she left, my co-worker said, “Actually, she was so adamant about making sure it was a hazelnut latte, when she was telling me her order.”

Being accusatory and recoiling in defense are classic reptilian responses, [as is my  satisfaction in being right.] I don’t even want to try to guess what was stressing this woman out. We are at a hospital, so she’s certainly entitled to it.

And, I do it too…

 c. 2010