How About Two Splendas

For those of you who know me pretty well, have heard of my escapades in trying to get a cup of coffee to my liking. For those of you who don't then here I am in a nutshell. I love coffee. It's as simple as that. I love coffee during the day or late night. I have coffee at home, at work and on the road. So here is my dilemma: its hard to get someone to make my coffee as I like. I'm the kind of person who is not adverse to paying top dollar for a cup of coffee from Starbucks since I know that I'll order it once, have it repeated to me once and get it just as I asked for it. Going to other places for a cup of joe can be a bit of a adventure. Allow me to elaborate.

Before heading into work I swing by Bite of Lafayette between Bleecker and Houston Streets for a cup of joe. Now there are a few people that work there. The young Thai man is always on point. Now the latino is another story. This is where I find the situation odd. I talk to him in Spanish in order to facilitate my request. This is how I ask for my coffee: Large, Light with Half and Half with 1 Splenda.

Now mind you this is not the first time this exchange between me and him has happened. Like clockwork this is what comes next after I ask for the coffee: Are you sure you don't want two Splendas? The first time I just said no, the second and third times I told him I only take 1 splenda. The fourth time he automatically gave me two and I made him make me another cup with 1 splenda. Now this is probably the fifth or sixth time he does this so I had to let him know where I stood.

Me: Every time I ask for one splenda, you always want to give me two and I always say I only want one

Him: I think the coffee tastes better with two splendas

Me: I don't like it with two splendas. It tastes too sweet with two. Just let me have one please

Him: I'm sorry, its just that people like it better with two. Its ok, the customer is always right

Ok then, if the customer is always right then why is he always trying to give me two splendas. Its one thing if he gave me a few splendas on the side. That's cool, it'll just go with my stash of splendas. But to try to force it on me is just wrong. I work in the service industry. I can understand it if he was trying to upsell the coffee. Maybe a bigger cup for a better price. Nothing wrong with that. But to say that the way you want to make it is better than how I want it while telling me "the customer is always right" is just wrong dude. LOL.

Am I right? Tell me if I'm wrong.

FH

As Much As Things Change...

I know that in my line of work that I shouldn't be bothered by what people say and do. That I need to have a thick skin when dealing with people who are drinking. For the most part I just brush off what is said and keep going through my night. But sometimes, people can be real offensive. Allow me to elaborate.

During the course of our evening, if we see empty glassware on tables, we pick them up and leave them on the bar for the bartenders to take care of. The way I operate, I always ask whether or not said glasses are empty. A guy my size sticking his hands in a table full of people to grab things can be a bit intimidating. I understand that hence why I ask of the glasses are empty and make eye contact while doing so. Ok, so now that you know the parameters of how I "buss" glasses, here goes with the story at hand.

So I approach this particular table with two ladies and ask them if the glasses on the opposite side of the table were empty to which one of the ladies furthest away from me said "Yes". As pick up the glasses near the woman closest to my right, I look at her, make eye contact as give her a smile which she responds with a smile of her own. Everything is cool right? Not quite. 

As I start to walk off with my hands full of glasses, the woman who just smiled at me took her purse that was in front of her and pulled it close to her. That is the action that I shouldn't let bother me but it did and I refused to let it just sit there without responding. This is how the exchange went:

Excuse me Miss, I work here and the only reason I was at your table was to clear glasses not to steal your purse. I'm not a thief."

I caught the woman off guard since he seemed stunned at my statement. She seemed to realize what I said to her after a few seconds.

Umm, I was having a conversation and all I saw was hands reaching in.

I made eye contact with you and you returned my smile. You knew I was there. What you did was offensive. I actually understand your point of view but I just wanted to let you know that what you did was offensive. Not everyone is trying to rob you"

It's situations like that one that I work the way I do. I treat people with courtesy and respect in ways that many times I am not afforded in return.   I'm not one to walk around with a chip on his shoulders but I get it. I'm a big Latino male who when he wants to be can be very intimidating and seeing me approach the table can make anyone freak out. But when you pull your purse close to you when I made no hostile attempt towards you that's just wrong. A simply apology would have sufficed instead of lying to my face about not knowing I was there. I guess no matter how much thing change, they remain the same. Just keep in mind, that the same way you worry about the big Latino guy taking your purse is the same way the skinny white man or woman can pick your pocket. To quote the famous philosopher Forrest Gump: "That's all I have to say about that".

Good night all.

FH

Ranting on a Cold Saturday Night in January

All we should aspire to in life is to be the best man or woman that we can be. We don't need to be perfect as that doesn't exist but to try and be the best we can be day in and day out. If we can't say that we are, then we all have some work to do. Don't you think?

Maybe it is seriously time to think about life in the woods with the animals. People and their petty hatred of things that really don't affect their personal lives is starting to bother me. Based on my prior statement it shouldn't bother me since it really doesn't affect my personal life but in my line of work I hear the garbage that people spew that unfortunately it does get annoying.

The way I look at it, life should be enjoyed and cherished because (for as much as I know) we only have one to live. Life is too short to say I hate so-and-so and hate this particular race, creed and or belief system. Life is too short for people to complain so much about what they have since there are millions who would jump off a cliff to have what you so dearly and vehemently complain about.

Perhaps I'm just too sensitive since I was picked a lot as a kid. Treated like shit because I was different due to physical differences. People can just be downright cruel when they are ignorant, unchangeable in initial reactions to something or someone or just downright afraid of what they don't know, understand or care to learn about. Not wanting to or even caring to look past the blinders which make up their narrow view on things.

Maybe I'm the one that should just have the shot, a brew and chill out.  

FH