Impatient When There’s A Patient

I’m on a coffee run for my office. While I’m waiting in the drive-thru, this is what I witness.

A man abruptly collapses in the grass by the exit to the drive-thru. Several folks in front of me in line get out of their cars and call 911, and one person starts CPR. One person wearing the uniform for employees of the coffee shop leaves the cafe and comes out to help, as well.

The customer at the window in a pickup truck gets impatient and starts honking his horn.

Three cop cars show up, one of them blocking the exit to the drive-thru.

Someone hands the customer a tray with coffees in it through the window. The customer drives forward and (presumably) accidentally rams into the cop car now blocking the exit. His airbags deploy, and there appears to be significant damage to both the cop car and the customer’s pickup.

The ambulance shows up, and the EMTs waste no time getting the collapsed man loaded into the ambulance. I have never before seen EMTs move so quickly, despite the uneven ground and racing traffic on the street that the drive-thru exits onto.

The customer gets out of his truck and starts yelling at the police. He’s wearing a shirt that appears to be stained with coffee beverages. I can’t hear what he’s saying over the significant ambient noise, but his body language is very animated.

The ambulance leaves. Now the pickup and police car are blocking the exit to the drive-thru.

The police somehow manage to de-escalate with the customer and get him calmed down. Now he’s sitting by the drive-thru staring at his truck with dejected body language.

The rest of the police leave. Tow trucks arrive and take the cop car, the pickup truck, and their respective drivers away.

Less than forty-five minutes after placing my order, I am finally served my drinks. I politely ask the barista to write me a note explaining why I’m late for my boss, and he does so.

My boss thankfully accepts the late note.