Bookends & Beans

I was sitting at my favorite coffee shop in town this afternoon after work, ironically doing more work. In walked this young girl.... She had on a puffy winter coat, an over sized stocking cap that slid beyond her eyebrows allowing her eyes only half of their normal window of vision. Her arms kind of just floated at her sides partially extended (puffy jacket restricting gravity), and judging by the backpack I'd say she was about 3rd or 4th grade material.
She clip-clopped right up to the counter (to place her order), cocked her neck straight backward (the counter literally at her eye level), her lower jaw dropping as if she were staring at an angel, and after being greeted by the barista, boldly replied, "I'd like a caramel cappuccino with whipped cream and skim milk."

*I had to cover my mouth with both hands,and literally duck and hide behind my computer screen to stifle my urge to burst out laughing in sheer astonishment. It was such a confident request, and it was clear to me she was a "caffeine newb," yet she fronted like she'd been drinking it since she came out of the womb!

And I thought to myself, "ohhhh! SO CLOSE!...you forgot to tell her what size..." And sure enough, the barista proceded to inquire, how large or small a cappuccino she wanted. This second question forced a brief pause of uncertainty from the young girl. She reached into her left coat pocket pulled out a wad of crinkled up $1 bills. She quietly counted to herself how much she had, then looked back up at the barista and shoved her left hand back into the pocket. Recognizing that the girl needed some options to choose from [and who the hell doesn't need options when ordering the size coffee they want---> there are a million different terms in the coffee shop vocabulary associated with size of drinks] the barista suggested "a Medium," to which the girl nodded her head in approval.

"Okay, that wil be $3 please."
The young girl pulled the correct amount of bills from her pocket, got up on her tip-toes and reached above her head extending them toward the barista. A minute later, she was handed her cappuccino, and grabbing it with both hands, held it up to her nose, inhaled the warm steamy goodness within, paused, smiled to herself, and with that walked out of the store.

Priceless. Anyone could have seen how proud she was of herself. I can only imagine how long she must have rehearsed those few lines to herself while methodically trudging the sidewalks to Bookends after school had gotten out.

So "Cheers to you," Young-Caffeine-Addict-In-The-Making...Cheers.