rolling...

Some lady came into Starbucks yesterday to get her $3.00 cup of coffee... even though I work there I can make fun of people who actually pay that much for drinks because I get them for free... perks of the job...

I also don't really make fun of people who buy drinks there, I just feel the need to for this story....


Anyway... Some lady came into Starbucks yesterday to get her $3.00 cup of coffee. Total Naperville woman... big expensive sunglasses (that she didn't bother to take off while inside, no where near windows or sunlight), high high heals, bouncy blond curly hair, fake nails, cakes of makeup, and I could continue to bash her, but it wouldn't really make me feel that much better about myself...

I ask her how she is doing and she doesn't even bother to answer, she just orders her drink in a stern, "hurry up" type voice. She pays and I hand her her card back then give her her receipt. She prances out in her loud, clunky heals making it known to the whole store she is leaving the building. I think nothing of it, other than "wow, she was rude."

Later on in the day I answer the phone and there is a lady on the other end saying that the only place she went that morning was to Starbucks and now she can't find her American Express gift card that she paid with. I asked her to hold and looked around, asked my manager, but no one had seen one or left one. I relayed the message to her, to which she responded, "well, I know who rang me up, and I know it is there because I don't have it." I told her I was sorry and that I didn't know what to tell her because we didn't have it... to which she replied, "OK, I'll be coming in in a little bit." So I said OK and she hung up the phone. I realized it was that rude Naperville woman. I could tell she was implying that the girl who rang her up (me) stole her gift card.

I actually was hoping she would come in because I had nothing to hide knowing that I didn't take it. Sure enough, I hear her walk in. She prances up to the counter, sunglasses still on, and says "I left my gift card here." I look at her and I ask if she was the one that called. She very dramatically takes off her sunglasses and looks me in the eye, pauses, and responds "yessss." I look her right back in the eye, because like I said, I have nothing to hide, and I say "I'm sorry ma'am, but we don't have it." She just grins, looks at me, and says "OK... but just so you know, it's been turned off... and what goes around comes around." And she stares at me, grinning as she's walking away.

I was in shock. EXCUSE ME???? I yelled, then jumped across the counter, grabbed her blond hair, and ripped the sunglasses off her face...

No, not really... (here's where I make sure to say "just kidding")

As a person, I wanted to confront her with my frustration that she was questioning my character and acting like she knew I had done something that I didn't do. But as an employee of a corporate coffee chain, I knew my interaction with her would be limited seeing as she was the customer, and you know what they say... the customer is always right.

HAH.

My manager was standing there the whole time, along with my partners, and I just stood there in silence, said "OK" while she walked off.

We waited till she walked out the door, then I let it out... "WHHAAATTTT?????? Are you serious? Is she serious? What the... is she serious? really? I mean, really? REALLY?" I had to laugh. That's all I could do.

I was so frustrated. My manager told me I handled the situation really well and that was all I could do to respond. She reminded me that I knew the truth and the way the woman spoke to me was a reflection on her, not on me.

True... but man is that hard to accept when you just want a chance to tell your side of the story. I guess it was a good lesson for me because I realize, as much as I want to convince her that I'm a good person, I have no control over what she thinks of me... and what she thinks of me does not define who I am. I was hoping she'd find it and call to apologize, but I knew that wasn't going to happen.

She came back in this morning and I was working on bar (making drinks). I wanted to ask her if she found her card yet, but I just smiled and asked how she was. She didn't even answer. She just stared me down... literally looked at me and didn't say a word. She continued to watch me the whole time she waited for her drink, as if her gift card was going to fall out of my pocket or something.

I tried not to, but I let her get to me. I was so frustrated that I couldn't concentrate on bar. Someone had to come relieve me cause I kept pouring decaf in regular and 2% in skim. Oops. At least they caught it before the person drank it...

well... not that lady's...

Hah.


Again... kidding.

Basically, I guess what I have learned from this is that I have no control of what others think. People believe what they want to believe, regardless of the truth. Sometimes we get a chance to tell our version, sometimes we don't, but regardless, it doesn't change the truth. I know the truth. And I'm OK with that. God knows the truth. And I'm OK with that. But most importantly, the surveillance camera that has me handing her card back to her on it knows the truth. And I'm OK with that.