She works bloody hard, my barista, rushing from point-of-sale to espresso machine, yet she's always cheerful. She moves with no apparent effort from taking orders to making up the drinks, some of which are ridiculously complex to me. She's never flustered, always polite. Today her name is Athina,¹ one of (I think) six staff at Volt Coffee in Davis. I'm not forgetting the other staff, equally busy and happy and chipper, and nothing is too much trouble for them. They know me and what I like and I have the feeling that if I just sat down they'd bring me my desired traditional cappuccino without asking. I admire your skill, each of you, and your patience and coolness under pressure.
Today, I did a silly thing. While drying my hands and discarding the paper towel, I inadvertently slipped off the ring Christine gave me for our handfasting, an irreplaceable piece of jewellery, one of only two pieces of jewellery I regularly wear. I told Athina what had happened and without hesitation she offered to go through the trash bag, a task that I do not envy (and even after I offered to do it, she ploughed on. I left her a gift, of course, and sent my thanks to her. Yes, my barista is much more than a producer of coffee, she's a miracle worker, as all baristas are. Thanks to the others there whose names I know at Volt: Antonio, Jaden, and Jacqueline. You never fail to be cheerful and you never fail to satisfy. I love my baristas all.
I always feel I can never tip a barista enough. Were I working fulltime, I could and it saddens me that I am scraping to get through each week. I left a cash gift honouring the unpleasant task, That and this this little thank-you note will have to suffice for my big "thank-you", and the knowledge that you make me happy many times a week. I thank you all too for the kind get-well card I have from you, and the gift of coffee beans you made me for when I came home after surgery. What a blessing my baristas are! Thank you all, and especially today, you, Athina ♥
¹ Yes, this is how she spells it, it was on my get-well card
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