If At First You Don’t Succeed, Chai Again, Part 2

(I stop by the library coffee shop on my way to class one morning. I’m happy to see that I am the only customer.)

Me: “Hi, can I get a chai latte, please?”

Employee #1: “Sorry, we’re actually out of that. We only have chai tea bags and hot water, if you’d like that?”

Me: “Oh, okay. What about your smoothies?”

Employee #1: “So sorry, we should get the stock truck in tomorrow.”

Me: “Oh, well, I guess I’ll just take the hot chai tea, then.”

Employee #1: “Would you like whipped cream on that?”

Me: “…No?”

Employee #2: “Hot chocolate, up!”

(I look around for the other customer before remembering that I was the only one in. Employee #1 is staring at me.)

Employee #1: “You just ordered a hot chocolate.”

Me: “Oh, sorry, no. I actually said “hot chai tea,” but I’ll take the hot chocolate anyway.”

(I take the hot chocolate and sit down.)

Employee #2: “Here’s your tea!”

Me: “Oh… thank you?”

(I take the second drink back to my seat and pick up my wallet to pay for it, confused. I can overhear the employees whispering intently about how I did not pay for the tea, even though I HAD originally paid for a tea, and they had not rung me up for a second drink or told me they were making one.)

Me: “Here’s the money for that hot chocolate I ended up with.”

Employee #1: *with the worst death glare I’ve ever seen* “That’s okay.”

(She refused to take my money, and I quickly left while they employees stared at me like I had just robbed the place. I’m still not sure what happened!)