Away From Home

Working at my owner's other shop this week. Some thoughts:

I've been asked, several times, if I'm new, and how training is going.

I've been asked to make drinks that for regulars that I have never seen before, and watched as they looked a bit uncomfortable. People grow accustomed to a certain face serving them, and they don't immediately trust the "new" guy.

I trained every barista who works there.

There is a kitchen at this place. Really, it's a restaurant with coffee bar service offered as an aside. I had the pea soup today, with rainbow carrots and purple potatoes. It was perfect.

I was, however, told by a certain customer that vegetables were not "manly", whatever that is to mean, and that he wanted his ham and cheese omelet with extra ham, extra cheese, and no peppers, greens, or any other plant material. He also ordered a side of ham and a breve (made with half-and-half) latte. I was informed that this is basically an every day thing.

After some thought, I've determined that I'll keep eating veggies, and that atherosclerosis isn't "manly" either.

It is still snowing, and what the fuck, really?

But it's all good. Eight busy hours with a few other people, all of whom have spent years getting quite good at their specific task, the whole apparatus humming along as if it couldn't do anything else, and you a part of it. Feet and legs tired, 12x400 still to go today, but it's cool. And that pea soup, man, really.