Coffee Shop Sweats

Standing in what feels like the longest ever line, the smell of coffee lingering in the air, I feel my pits start to sweat. 

Impatiently I ask the person in front of me “how long have you been here?”

They respond with “Too long, I don't get what’s going on. Seems like everyone is getting their own special spa treatment while they also get their coffee.”

Ugh. I have too much going on today to take this long but a morning without my coffee from Jones’ seems like the wrong way to start my day. I’m here every morning and I have never seen it this busy.

I grab my phone, knowing it won't be long until I hear from my boss. Today is the big launch and I know he’s going to be on my ass to get to work on time. 

I glance behind me. The line now stretches out and beyond the entrance, looking like it’s out onto the street.

 At least I’m not at the back of the line, I think. Way to stay positive, Alex. My therapist keeps reminding me that I need to try and use positivity throughout my day. It’s so much harder than it sounds.

I'm sweating everywhere now, nerves of the day fully getting to me. 

Someone bumps me from behind and I turn to look; there’s a man behind me who is much taller than I am, looking at me with big apologetic eyes.  

“I’m so sorry” he says, with a very thick British accent. 

“Oh, no worries” I say, feeling my nether regions start to swell. Had to be British too, didn’t he. If I hadn’t been a nervous sweaty mess already, I would be now.

“I just got so caught up in my book and thought I saw the line moving.. Won’t happen again” He says, apologetically. 

A book too. Fuck, are you perfect?

“Really, it’s no problem at all. Wish I had a book to stuff my nose in right now, it would take my mind off the fact that this wait is unbearable” I respond.

“Yeah, it helps quite a bit. It makes sense the line is so long and slow though, especially after the publicity this place got yesterday” He responds, in that thick yummy accent. I could listen to him talk all day long. 

“Wait, what publicity?” I ask, a little shocked I hadn’t heard anything. I am normally so up on this stuff. 

“Apparently some hot shot came in here yesterday and bought up all of their pastries and well over 100 coffees, then posted all over their social media about it. Jones’ apparently gained over 300,000 followers on their instagram and posted last night about how today would be potentially one of their busiest days in business” he responds with.

How did I miss this? 

“Oh” I say. “Do you know who the hot shot was?” I ask curiously.

“No, sorry. I don’t keep up with hot shots that well. My roommate had just been filling me in this morning before I left.” he responds.

My phone rings in my hand and my boss's name flashes on the screen. 

“Fuck” I say out loud.

“Everything alright?” hot British boy asks.

“Yeah, sorry gotta take this” I say, turning back to the front of the line and answering.

“Hey Mike” I say.

“Alex, where are you?” he asks.

“Sorry Mike, I stopped at Jones’ to get coffee, not knowing it was their busiest day ever and I have been stuck in line” I respond.

“Alex, you do know what today is right? Or have you forgotten what we have been working on for the last 6 months” He asks, frustration in his tone.

“I totally know what today is and I am prepped and ready for it, I am sorry, I'm just running a little behind schedule” I say.

“Well, get here ASAP. We’ve got shit to do. Get me a coffee while you're there” Mike says, hanging up before I can say anything else. 

I exhale deeply. Not how I was hoping the start of my day would go.

I look to the beginning of the line, I have hardly moved. Ugghhhh. They must still be low on product after yesterday, I can’t imagine they were prepared for a boom like this. Patience, I whisper to myself. It’s all going to be okay. 

Just then a Woman comes into the shop, walking quickly past everyone in line, talking very loudly on her phone.

“Yes, Jane, I’m just grabbing a coffee now” she almost yells into the phone. 

She makes her way to the front of the line and then motions to the person waiting at the front that she will be just a minute, as she butts in front of her.

“Is nobody going to say it?!” I say out loud, meaning to keep it to myself. The people around me all glance towards me with pleading eyes.

I am four people away from the front of the line, I could say it. 

I glance towards the woman who just butt in front of everyone.

“Excuse me, do you know that the line starts way back there?” I say to her, motioning to the back of the line. Adrenaline now pumping through me. 

She glares at me. “Do you not know who I am?” she asks pointedly.

“No, I don’t know who you are and frankly, I don’t fucking care. We all have places to go and want our coffees so we can go about our day. We don’t need some privileged white woman stomping her way to the front of the line, thinking she can just get whatever she wants because of who she is. Some of us have been waiting for over half an hour” I say, feeling anger coming out of places I didn’t know it could. She should know not to mess with a line of people who haven’t had their coffee yet. 

The people around me in line, all join in agreement.

The woman glances around at the people in line, desperately searching for someone to back her up.

“Do none of you know who I am?” She asks the line.

“I know who you are, but I’m with this chick, I want my coffee and I don’t really care who you are” says a woman a few spots behind me, pointing towards me as she speaks.

I feel pride swell up in my chest. 

The woman behind the till looks to her “I’m sorry ma'am, these people have been waiting for so long to get their coffee. We’ve had a huge spike in business today and one of our coffee machines broke this morning in the rush of it all. I can’t have you jump the line and get coffee before them” she says.

If steam could come out of someone's nostrils, it would have now. The woman looks enraged. 

“You’ll regret this” she says as she turns on her heels and stomps out the door. 

As everyone in line starts to quiet down from the commotion, there is movement in the line. 

“We’re back up and fully running, thank you all for your patience, we will get to you all shortly!” yells a barista from behind the counter.

The crowd cheers.

I get to the front of the line and order mine and Mike’s coffee and then try to leave as quickly as I can. Hot British boy is trailing behind me as I leave the shop. 

“Hey” He calls after me.

“Yeah” I turn to him, trying to not look frustrated. I have to go.

“I think it’s really cool that you stood up to that woman. Takes a lot of nerve to stand up to someone who has that much confidence” he says. 

I get caught up in that accent again, forgetting where I was ever rushing off to. 

“Yeah, thanks. I just really hate when people think they can just walk over the people around them because they have more status” I say in response.

“Well it’s cool. I’m James, by the way” he says to me, reaching out his hand.

“Hey James, I’m Alex” I say, extending my free hand.

“Sorry” I say “I gotta run, late for a big day at work”

“Can I see you sometime?” James asks quickly, catching me before I run off.

“Ah, yeah, for sure” I say, blushing. Was not expecting that at all. Especially since I feel disgusting from all of the sweating I just did in there. 

He passes me his phone for me to put my number in.

“Okay, well I’ll see you soon” I say, passing him his phone back.

“Yes for sure, see you soon Alex!” He says “Good luck at your big day of work”

“Thanks” I say. 

I may be late for work, but that entire morning turned itself around and I am beaming as I head for my car. 

I take a sip of my coffee as I get into my car, totally worth the wait, even if I now have sweat stains all over my clothes.