Actually it wasn't coffee. I don't drink coffee. I find the taste unpleasant and don't need the caffeine to function. In fact, caffeine makes me so jittery that I can hardly do anything useful. But that is besides the point.
I love to read and sometimes the hubby and I take a trip to Barnes and Noble to browse for new books and a snack at Starbucks. One of our first dates involved Barnes and Noble, cake and a Fox Trot compilation. Autumn is my favorite time to go because they have hot apple cider with caramel which is super yummy.
There is something special at the Starbucks in the Barnes and Noble near my home town. Actually, someone. One of the employees, the one I see most often, makes each visit a delight. It would be inaccurate to say that he goes above and beyond the call of duty; most transactions are routine and he would seem false in doing so. He simply goes about his job knowing that it makes a difference and seeks to give each customer the best coffee (or not coffee) buying experience he can.
We live in a society rich with hyperbole. People seek to make a difference doing great deeds with meaningful foundations. Making a difference means changing the world. But that is not always the way of things. Mother Theresa had so much to say on the importance of small kindnesses that I can't chose a single quote. Crowley, the fallen angel in Good Omens, the brilliant story by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, tied up all the phone lines in central London one lunch time knowing the frustration it would cause would do more to serve the forces of evil than some grand scheme.
I don't mean to turn a genuine smile and caring tone accompanied by first rate customer service into some great spiritual exercise. But grace in all things does make us all a little happier and a little more likely to spread that happiness to the next person we see.
So if you are ever in Racine, WI, go to the Barnes and Noble and order a coffee.
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