So I meet the cousin and her new baby for a little cup of joe in the afternoon. As many of you know and as I am learning, anytime you go anywhere with a baby, it's a big production. Strollers are now far more intricate and high tech than the rickety ones we had when I was a baby back in 1863, and there are always extra bags, and stuff and equipment and what have you. (I have made feature films with less gear than a baby has to go for a cup of coffee.)
Anyways we meet up in front of the Bucks on 81st and Columbus, across the street from the Museum of Natural History. So I open the door and hold it so that the cousin can wiggle the tank as I call it into the store. A gentleman who was trying to get out got out of the way of the tank and I held the door open for him to leave before I went in. As I held the door open a woman pushed her way passed the fella who was in the doorway, completely unaware of her rudeness. Now this has nothing to do with Starbucks at all, I just wanted to point out that she was rude. Thank you.
So I go in and the cousin is already on the queue in front of the rude lady who gave ME attitude when I stood next to the Cuz for cutting the line. "Yeah I was holding the door for the other guy but that's okay, no worries. We're all good." was my response to her teeth tisking at me for "cutting" the line.
Again nothing to do with the story at hand just wanted to point that out. Again, thank you.
So I order two coffees and pay for them and go over to the fixings bar for sugar etc. The Cuz orders a premixed Yogurt, Granola, and Berries combo. In total it came to $4.01. Now on he counter there was a small jar filled to the brim with pennies. Many people like myself throw the penny or so change into it which serves as an ad hoc tip jar slash emergency coin center for the register. Many stores have these penny jars for those times when something requires an extra penny so as the saying goes, "Leave a penny, take a penny." Well apparently not at 81st and Columbus Avenue Starbucks.
The cousin asks if she could use one of the pennies from the jar because she had four singles and a twenty dollar bill. "No." was the response. "Could you please help me out with the penny so I don't have to break the twenty and get 99¢ back in change?" "No" was the response. So The Cuz got $14.99 back in change and went on with her day.
Now I understand about making sure the register balances out. And I also understand about not wanting to contribute your own money to help a customer but come on people. A penny? You can't pay the penny forward when it is not even your penny but a communal jar which will get evenly divided amongst the staff at the end of the week? It's not a question of policy it's just common sense. So next time 81st and Columbus I shall save my penny to pay forward at another Starbucks where the staff (not to mention the clientele although I won't really hold Starbucks accountable for that) are pleasant and understand about how to make things friendly and pleasant. It takes so little to do something right.
And all it would have cost is a penny.
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