Sorry, Zen-Like Inner Peace Is A Chargeable Add-On

I work at a coffee shop at an international airport in Florida. There is a Chinese woman who serves as some sort of monk liaison, and she comes into the store bi-monthly; monks like caramel Frappuccino, FYI.

Every time she comes in, she orders an iced coffee with cream and sugar. After she pays, she goes to the pick-up counter, waits for the barista to hand off her drink, and demands that they add whip cream and caramel, which are add-ons and cost extra. It is a small thing, the whip and caramel, but it costs us money which causes our loss prevention officer to think we are stealing in a big-picture sense. It is a licensed store, so there is none of that free beverage stuff that other stores can get away with.

Once you have given someone who knows better something for free without any perceivable gratitude, a seed of resentment is planted. We all have resentment blooming in our bellies for this lady. Finally, one day, one of my baristas loses her cool a little and tells the woman:

Barista: “We all remember you when you come in, you know. I know you know that this is not free, and this is the last time that we are doing this for you without charging you.”

When the words come out of her mouth, I am slightly proud but cringe because I know what is going to happen next.

Customer: “I want to speak to the manager.”

That’s me!

She starts screaming at me because my barista “yelled” at her.

Me: “I’m sorry you feel mistreated; however, I was standing next to the barista and she didn’t raise her voice.”

Customer: *Starts screaming at me* “It is not nice to be yelled at! She yelled at me and that is rude! It is very rude to yell at people!”

As everyone within a thirty-foot radius stares at us, mouths agape, I respond the only way I can.

Me: “Yes, it is very rude to yell at people. Very, very rude to yell at people. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

This was a few months ago. She came in and asked for an iced coffee a couple of days ago. I opted to make it for her his time. When I was through, I handed it to her and she started to ask for something, but I looked her in her eyes with an unflinching gaze. She stopped, took her drink, and sat down.

While this woman is a total pain, I still don’t mind too much because waiting on monks is pretty cool.