Maybe the ceiling of her bathroom at home was leaking or maybe she had just hung up the phone with her mother ending a particularly combative call, but when the woman in front of me at Starbucks was told that they were out of the Pike Place Roast, at least for now, she just snapped. They had the Holiday Blend and the Blonde Roast but no Pike Place; would she like to try one of the others?She did not, nor did she care to hear any explanation as to why they had none of her favorite coffee available. Maybe this had been a really bad day, maybe she had been dreaming of a grande Pike Place all morning or maybe she was just a rotten person but for reasons unknown she chose to take her frustration out on the barista who was exceedingly gracious when faced with the wrath of this coffee displeased woman. She left, or actually she stormed out, choosing to go without rather than try another option.
Maybe I had just spent the past hour trying to pay my mother's phone bill from 500 miles away, which proved to be insanely difficult given that I was trying to actually give them money, or maybe I had been on the phone for most of the morning with doctors and movers and retirement home coordinators, but thankfully Starbucks had all the Awake tea I wanted: two bags and a smidge of cream. What if they had said no, not today. What if they had offered me a cup of green tea, or worse, calm tea? Who knows what I might have done. I'll never know. Nor will I know what happened to the coffee lady just before her morning coffee dreams were shattered. I'd like to think I'd choose kindness over madness, but I just don't know.
1 comment:
Bless the people who work in roles to serve the public! The irate customer must have some really serious issues at play.
Are we able to predict our reaction under certain circumstances? I think it is difficult. Until we have been there, we can't really say what we might do.
Have a good week!
Post a Comment