One of the main reasons I enjoy working at a coffee shop is the chance to truly meet new people. On an average day, I see about 350-400 people, depending on which shift I work, and I'm given, with each person, the opportunity to connect through the drink I make. Putting a line of orders aside, a drink only takes about two minutes to make a latte; and those two minutes can go by unnoticed, or as noticeably as that first chill of cold sheets on your bare skin at night. Ok, that might be a little over-dramatic; but sometimes every second of those two minutes is known. Regardless, I've learned to make those moments count: whether it be for the intensity of a rush, or the enjoyment of conversation.
Unfortunately, sometimes even the conversation can be a burden to begin. It's hard to work off a simple answer to a simple question; granted I end up saying the same question over and over again expecting different results. Is that insanity? But I move on beyond the simple, "How's your day going?" I push for deeper questions and hope that a sentence forms without eyes staring into the digital world. When I'm not the focus of the interaction those monosyllabic words echo across the handoff plane. Those are the moments when time falters and the presence of those two minutes haunts me. It would be nice to have more engagement at the bar; and I admit, sometimes those rushes feel torturous with ten drinks lined up and a line to the door. All those eyes staring at you, waiting with tolerable impatience.
There are those instances when a connection is made. Those moments are the times I wait for; the times I love. Just the other day I met a new neighbor. Well, new to me only because I hadn't known him previously. He's lived in my neighborhood for a while. This would normally be a highly probable moment; or even systematically necessary for a barista; but this occurrence is rather uncommon for me. I live in the foothills of Boulder; up a little canyon road into the first ridge. turn off the paved road and take a bumpy ride into a quiet neighborhood set in the nooks of the hills. We barely know our neighbors up here; beyond the rumors and mumblings of interactions long ago; but it's all amicable. The recent floods showed us that. Atop the conditions of our quiet community, I work some 13 miles away in another town (technically), where the average customer is from Lafayette or traveling into Boulder from a still further suburb; so meeting a neighbor of mine is something special.
I find those conversations the most addicting. There's possibility written in those words, in the excitement of voices. You can truly have a connection beyond that coffee shop space. The hinting of being neighbors, or friends, bubbles beneath the surface. This customer, who introduced himself as John, ironically, dove into who I was, where I lived, what I was doing at a coffee shop... and likewise entertained my curiosity into his life. Those two minutes felt triumphantly intense; and a spark ignited in my soul. I genuinely wish to know him better, because he genuinely wished to know me. The fuel behind it was simply having a greater proximity than what was previously believed; which was merely the occasional exchange of money for goods and services.
Once on NPR I heard about how meeting people was an actual addiction, which helped fuel the viral impact of FaceBook, Craigslist, and then such cites and apps as Plenty of Fish, Grindr, Jack'd, and a number of social networks. What once was reserved for coffee shops and bars has transferred to our phones; hence the short notice of me, the barista making your drink. When that fuel is thrown onto the fire yearning for connection, a fundamental need engrained into our species, a magical thing happens and I'm elated. I'm infatuated with meeting people, and that's one of the most important factors of loving my job. I think that's why a lot of baristas work for coffee shops; or even why retail people choose to work in retail, knowing full well there are other jobs that they're perfectly qualified for that would secure them higher wages. We love the conversation and the variety of people we meet: The general social aspect of working in these areas.
As much as I try, sometimes, to break out of my focused mode during a rush, I fail. And those are the times I wish I could be on a role with conversation. You know... Maybe this is the time to ask you for help; for help for all the Baristas who have trouble multitasking beyond the bar. To break away from the intensity of our job so we can remember why we're working where we're working: to feed an addiction to meet new people and be a focal point within a community. After all, coffee shops are a great place to go relax and meet up with people. So help us get out of our stolid states: create a conversation that opens us up to be present with you. In return, you'll feel present with us and you'll find a place that enriches your life; not just with coffee, caffeine, and wakefulness, but with a person you can truly talk to, freely and without inhibitions. I've kept my best friends from coffee houses because we've been uninhibited with each other. Maybe you can find new best friends for your life!
It's awesome that you've found a job that satisfies your need to be around people and to meet new people. I love how you describe your 2-minute interactions. Those two minutes can be very impactful.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for stopping by my blog. I appreciate your comment! Hope to catch you around the blogosphere :)