-
My Fifty-Two Cents
The other day after work I was so tired and lazy and blah, I decided to grab a refill of my current fave drink at Starbucks: a tall half-caff 2 pump pumpkin spice Pike’s Place (that’s a small coffee with syrup for y’all Dunkin Donuts fans). I wanted it to be a quick uneventful pit stop to give me a small pick-me-up. And I definitely got a ‘pick-me-up’ and it wasn’t from the coffee…
This is what happened…a lady was very rude to me. But I also commend her on her rudeness. Most, if not all people would usually keep such comments to themselves and maybe give a low annoyed grumble. But not this woman. I was lucky to be the receiver of her onslaught.
So after I got my coffee I wanted to pay using my fancy personalized Starbucks Gold Card. For every drink I purchase, including refills, you collect a star and after 15 stars you get a free drink of your choice. Also all refills on coffee and tea are free. So it would have been a free coffee and free star! But I couldn’t find my card and a lady was in line waiting for me to finish. I was in no rush and I didn’t think she was either, but to be polite I gave the very kind cashier my debit card instead while I kept looking. She rang me up for a cake pop and the .52 cent refill. But then I found my Gold Card in the coin compartment of my wallet!
So she kindly asked if I wanted a refund on the . 52 cents on my debit card and my response was ‘Oh please, if it’s OK!!!’ And to my surprise, the lady in line half shouted,
‘ARE YOU INSANE?! YOU’RE DRIVING ME CRAZY HERE! IT’S 52 CENTS?! YOU’RE SERIOUSLY GETTING A REFUND ON 52 CENTS?! UNBELIEVABLE!’ (with a slight flare and inflection in her voice…)
And she grumbled one other comment of annoyance and disbelief I cannot remember for the life of me but I stood there in shock of the giant impatient balls on this woman, and also trying not to smirk.
But on the other hand, I probably deserved it a little bit. Christa, really? .52 cents? I actually didn’t even think of it either, and maybe how ridiculous it was, but I was just really happy to have found my card and to have gotten a gold star!
So as the cashier took yet another minute or so to process my .52 cent refund and process it on my Starbucks Gold Card, there was an awkward moment of silence between the 3 of us.
It’s like when someone farts in public. Everyone hears it but they just stay silent and pretend nothing happened to ease the tension or embarrassment but then everything’s so awkward anyway and everyone is like, I dunno, self-aware of themselves? So I’m not sure who was more embarrassed because of her outburst. Maybe me? But technically, in my comparison, I wasn’t the one who farted…anyway.
The cashier broke the silence as she gleefully said I got my star, in hopes of informing the other lady that was the purpose. I happily thanked the cashier and wished her a good night. As I passed the angry whore, I privately hoped she’d shit her pants.