If you haven't figured out by now, I really like my coffee. No...wait...I really LOVE my coffee! And if you don't know that by now, either we've literally JUST met...or you've been living under a rock (or you're doing a great job of ignoring me...but whatever).
And I've totally talked about how I FEEL LIKE NORM ON CHEERS when I walk into my favorite coffee shop. It delightfully gets proven again & again when I go in there. I love it! (But, please note, I do pay for my beans EVERY time I go in...there's no running tab.)
Lately, over the holidays, things were different in there...a lot of new people started working there. It was crazy! I felt like I only knew a couple of the baristas. Our usual baristas were never there (one of them defected to a totally different store across the way in the mall). I felt like I was the one training new people! I know...probably not right, but I know that's how Norm would have felt if there was a new bartender. But we were gonna get thru this together, right?
No matter, there was still about 3 of them that would call me by name...and onto "training" the others. *wink, wink*
I am about to give you some fun examples as to how I know that I am amongst my peeps when I go into Gloria Jean's:
~ There was the time that I had to get there quickly! Out of coffee beans is NEVER a good thing. As I turned the corner to my coffee world for my beans, I realized someone was in there with a shopping cart from like Sears or something. *face palm* WHO DOES THAT? Oh wait...it was one of my original faves that defected across the way! And she was dressed as if she was working at the "other place", not the GJ's. I walked in...and I'm not sure what all happened, but somehow she made it behind the counter to ring me up...even though she wasn't on the clock there, but on the clock at the other place, and then proclaimed that what she was doing might be illegal. HA! Then she made it back out to where I was standing to wait on her stuff she'd already placed her order for & was talking to one of the new baristas. She made him hurry so she could get back to her "other job" (blah, blah, blah) & so he could fill my order. There was a whole exchange of whether or not my order needed the sticker of type of beans since we have settled on only one kind now. The decision was that I know what kind of beans had better be in there, so no need for a sticker. And he would also remember me, not by the flowers & accessories in my hair, but instead by the fact that I knew the one barista & known by others there.
~ There was the time that I went to get my weekly (or bi-weekly since there are SO MANY COFFEE DRINKING PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE) bean order, and the dude who remembered that I "didn't need a sticker" for my beans decided he would help out his memory a little more by doing this:
That's right...I get the Sumatra beans from Gloria Jean's (*snort* I rhymed ~~ wiggy-wiggy); so he gave me the sticker to wear on my coat. People ask me about my sticker...and I love to tell them the story!
~ There was the time that there was quite a line backed up inside of Gloria Jean's. Well, it was the holiday shopping season...in the mall...where people NEED a pick-me-up. But I went in to get my very-regular order (1 lb. whole bean Sumatra...but this stop might have been a 1/2 lb. fill-'er-upper) with about 7 customers in line before me. As I got in line, one of about half a dozen baristas working yelled,
"ERICA-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
I think I knew about 3 or 4 of them working back there. Then, about 3 of them started climbing over each other to get my beans ready! Seriously, people! As orders continued to be taken in front of me, mine was ready & waiting for me at the register by the time I got up there. Plus...they noticed that I had been given a Sumatra sticker. We were all giggling & having a joyous time. That may have also been the time when I danced crazily, almost knocked over a display of travel mugs, moved over & danced some more, paid for my beans, left & realized my fly was down on my pants. Holy Cannoli! What happened in there that day?~ Then there was yesterday. Had to stop in to get beans, of course. And I'm pretty sure that statement shocks most of you...or not. As I went in, there was a line. The day after Christmas was a crazy one & people needed their pick-me-up...and I needed beans. So...with about 6 people in front of me & my hubby, I hear it...
"ERICA-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...!!
I waved like crazy at them & I realized I knew all three baristas there this time. YEA! Then one of them shouted that they wanted me to guess what was on brew that day. I started dancing around & celebrating. It had to be Sumatra...which meant that I got $1 off my beans that day! WOO HOO!! And I was told that they thought of me as they brewed it that morning & wondered if I might be in that day. Yep...we are all getting on the same page like that. And...AND...? The barista who gave me my sticker went over to get my beans. He was so excited that I still had my sticker on for about 2-3 weeks. Then...I heard him say it was his last day. WHAT? I just got him all trained & everything! As it turns out...he was only seasonal. I pouted about it...but then...THEN??? He wanted to keep in touch since we would miss each other! Awwwwwww... So, we are now Facebook friends, y'all! Everyone, tell Ryan hi! Oh...and I had my beans in hand by the time I got to the cash register. *GRINS*Friends, when I say that I am amongst my peeps when I go into Gloria Jean's, I'm not kidding. And I do have non-coffee drinking friends that will stop by that particular Gloria Jean's just to see if I'm there.
I really, Really, REALLY do feel like Norm walking into the Cheers bar. And it feels good!
And, if you ever go by the Gloria Jean's at Independence Center, tell 'em I sent ya! For realz & serious, people.
Stay tuned...
God Bless, AM~Erica
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not only should you all wave hi to Ryan...wave hi to Mercedes, too! If you remember, she's one of the original M&M's referenced in the first blog link! I'm so excited she's here, too!
I love my barista folk!
No comments :
Post a Comment