Starbucks. Long line. You know it well. There are two worker bees in the spotlight, speedily working to chip away at the empty plastic cups lined up in a row.
As we await our names to be called, we have the privilege of watching the employees concoct our drinks, which makes the time go by a little faster I suppose. Then from beyond the jazz artist of the month and the open laptops comes “Mine’s just a green tea; can’t you do it sooner?. Sigh.”
Well, well, well. I guess someone thinks THEY’RE entitled to ‘cut’ the Starbucks line since their concoction is ‘simple’ and ‘easy’ to make. Well, yes, they ARE easy to make. Green tea is just a scoop/bag of green tea mixed with hot water and then iced to make it cold. Easy. But that doesn’t ENTITLE you to faster service. Does it?
I’m sure in the five minutes of waiting, she thought to herself, ‘I could have made it faster at home!’. Well then, why did you come to Starbucks for a green tea then? Surely, she’s there for the Starbucks experience of the smells and sounds of steam and blenders mixed in with Kenny G’s latest hits.
No matter the reason for the visit to the Starbucks waiting room, she was caught in a moment in which no one else in the room mattered. We all find ourselves in these situations every now and then: caught up in a moment of impatience and selfishness, but it’s what you do NEXT that matters most. In this case, perhaps gratitude would have been sufficient.
Despite her taunts, the Starbucks staff handed her what she was waiting for…AFTER the venti java chip frappuccino with soy and 2 splendas, double macchiato with brown sugar, and the tall light vanilla frap – hold the whip.
Time to ‘Fess Up: Have YOU ever felt justified in cutting the line?
A crowded Starbucks on Orange Ave.
Akshay observes and writes a weekly blog on everyday human behaviors. He facilitates workshops on leadership, communication, and team work for adults and children with Ziksana Consulting.
