Baby Barista!

I love having new experiences at work!

Hiya, Friends! Guess what!  Recently, I had the opportunity to work at the fancy Coffee Kiosk down in the lobby of my office building.  At Donut Dude's, they call that position the "Coffee Jockey," but at the Coffee Kiosk, they're called "Baristas."  According to Donut Dude, that's so the Coffee Kiosk can feel justified in charging too much for the same coffee drinks that Donut Dude can make for less than half of what you can buy 'em for at the Coffee Kiosk. 

You see, at Donut Dude's, I can get my favorite drink, the Bambinoccino, in a tall cup, with whip, for two dollars, maybe two-fifty if I get flavor.  At the Coffee Kiosk, I'll pay six, six-fifty.  And yes, sometimes, I DO pay six, six-fifty at the Coffee Kiosk, because I'd really, really like my Bambinoccino, and either the weather's bad or I don't have time to leave the office building to run to Donut Dude's. 

I think they call this "paying the price for convenience" and also, "supply-n-demand."

Anyway, while the brand names aren't the same, the techniques are basically identical.  I've helped out behind the counter at Donut Dudes a coupla times.  Donut Dude taught me how to make a really great Bambinoccino, and while the people at the Coffee Kiosk were teaching me how to make the different coffee drinks they sell, I couldn't help but notice that really, what Donut Dude taught me to do was the same exact things, except without the heavy-handed helping of condescension.

Maybe that's what you're really paying more for at the Coffee Kiosk.  The right to be smug that you can pay six dollars for a three-dollar coffee drink.  Hmm!

Now, at Donut Dudes, he labels all his coffee drinks with sizes that make sense.  Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Large, Bucket, and Box'O'.  You can special-order a tertiary size if ya want.  Like I have a "Tall" reusable to-go cup that I like to use, so I'm not putting extra disposable coffee cups into the environment.   Donut Dude will work with ya. 

I got all the free, fancy coffee I could drink!  I could drink a lot of coffee!

I mean, how uptight can a fella be when his name has the words "Donut" and "Dude" right in it?  Not very uptight.  That's the answer.  Somebody named that will be not very uptight.  And if ya come in and you don't know what something is, Donut Dude'll tell ya, and then he'll help ya decide just what kinda hot beverage is best for you today.  He'll help ya pair it up with the donut of your dreams, and you'll walk away a happy customer.   And if you're a regular, and Donut Dude notices that you're gettin' in a rut, ordering the same thing, over and over, he'll letchya try something new, on the house!  How about that?!

I guess I'm talking so much about what it's like at Donut Dude's, so you have an idea of what I was expecting to see and do during my time at the Coffee Kiosk as part of the Worker Exchange Program here at my office building, and what I actually was expected to do, how I was expected to act.

At the Coffee Kiosk, people don't want to talk to you, other than having you fill their order, and it's like they speak in code when they're ordering.  They don't wantchya askin' 'em how they're doing today, or offering commentation on the weather.  Just make their coffee, slap it into the Coffee Kiosk to-go-cup, snap on a lid, get their money, and send 'em on their way, even if they're not busy!  No wonder, when I hafta buy a $6 Bambinoccino I could go to Donut Dude's and pay less than $3 for, and I try to strike up a conversation with the person behind the counter at the Kiosk, they just kinda smirk, look down at me, and make my coffee and sent me on my way.  No conversating.  No real smiling.  They're trained to be that way.  Can you believe it?!

Another weird thing I noticed at the Coffee Kiosk was that it's really, really popular with the Executives.  Hector, the Security Guard at the Security Kiosk, right next door to the Coffee Kiosk, always drinks coffee from Donut Dude's.  Consuela always has a thermos of Donut Dude coffee at work.  Sabretooth brings us Box'o'Donut Dude Coffee a lot, and I've seen him make it a point to hold it up and give it the thumbs up as he walks past the Coffee Kiosk.  What I'm saying is for me and my friends, the Coffee Kiosk is just a last-ditch place to get coffee, but it's the Executives that must keep that place in business, down in the lobby. 

Funny thing, I waited on the very Executive that I said had butt breath a coupla weeks ago, in my meeting about whether or not they were gonna cancel my show over on the Facebook, and he didn't even recognize me while I was working at the Coffee Kiosk!  No recognition on his face.  Called me 'Chloe,' even though my nametag very clearly said 'Zoe,' and also, because we've just gone through this epic corporate battle over The Daily Zoe.  Another of the Executives that I hafta report to for the show every so often made it seem like he was looking at me when he gave his order, but he was looking over my shoulder. 

How did these people get to be successful, is what I wonder.  With their people-skills and everything, even.

At least I got to drink all the fancy coffee I wanted while I was working at the Coffee Kiosk!

But it's good to be back in my good ol' regular department!

Yep.  I love havin' new experiences at work.  I love learnin' new things, and I liked getting to drink the expensive, fancy coffee for free, even though Donut Dude's coffee is better.  I was never so glad to have my time be up at a Work Exchange Program assignment. 

The kicker is, the person the Coffee Kiosk sent up to replace me for my time at the Coffee Kiosk messed up everything at my work station, so it took me the better part of a day to get everything straightened out and smoothed over. 

Smug aloofness just doesn't fly up here in my department.  I'm surprised Sabretooth didn't stuff her in one of the recycle bins for fun.  He's been known to do such things!

Aw, well, Friends!  I'd say if ya hafta err on one side or the other, err on the side of Friendly, get your coffee from Donut Dude, and leave the Coffee Kiosk to the snobby Executives.  That's what I say!  I love ya lots!  See ya tomorrow!  Muah!