As I walk into a Starbucks, I
find myself surrounded by multitudes of people I’ve never met. I hop in
and out of random conversations I can overhear while standing in line.
People come in and out the door like clockwork; ensuring that the inside
temperature is always just short of comfortable. I am thankful for the
heat. My mind begins to escape to a different place…a different time.
I imagine being back in
Florence, Italy-waiting at a table for my Cappuccino. I can see the
Ponte Vecchio from my table; the sun set shining through each space onto
the Arno River. I’m aware that I have, as Guy Kawasaki would say, a
full-fledged Duchenne smile; Orbicularis oculi muscles and all.
In this
moment I tried to hold the image in my mind. I wanted to catch it, and
permanently affix it into my brain to revisit. Can you remember a time
when you specifically thought to take a mental snap shot? Moments
when you think gee, this is really something special. The hustle and
bustle of the Starbucks reminded me of a different kind of hustle and
bustle…the kind I found in Italy. And in that crowded building it was
nice to revisit a faraway land. I really didn’t know it was possible to
miss a place so much...
The barista
calls out my order, waking me from my reverie. I’m guessing this isn’t
the first time she’s called it. Everyone is looking from the drink, to
me, to the drink, back to me again.
Oops.
I pick it up and slowly retreat out into the cold, and I’ve still got that smile.
Nice Guy Kawasaki reference. :) I enjoyed reading this post. It is very well written, and it made me remember a moment that I had while sitting in a coffee shop in London. (Costas is way better than Starbucks.) It's simple moments like those that can make the best memories, and take us away from the monotony of everyday activities.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Thank you :) I'm glad you enjoyed it so much.
DeleteGreat post and because I work at Starbucks, I try to see what people are up to. I just know that so many days are being made with drinks. I know people are trying to hide their excitement sometimes. I wish some people would let it out, though. Maybe next time you can exclaim how wonderful your drink was. That barista will love you.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I do try to let the barista know how delicious the drink is, but I've gotten sloppy as of late and haven't. I need to get back in the zone.
ReplyDelete