Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right!

Two wrongs DON’T make a right…
I debated today on which story to share…mainly because I don’t want to monopolize the time of my followers. I don’t expect anyone to devote more than a couple minutes a day to reading my stories (this is the part where I imagine everyone saying, “aw shucks, Kara, share what you need to share…even if takes up more of our time, we’ll read it!”). Reality check- if people get impatient standing in line for decadent, whipped-cream topped caffeinated delishocity (a made-up word by yours-truly) then I know that they will get impatient reading stories about said people.

Okay, so the story I choose for today is the one about the homeless guy. A homeless guy walked into the coffeeshop (no, this isn’t the start of a bad joke), and he stood at the bar side of the counter. Now, most seasoned Starbucks attendees know where to go for their order, they go to the register. Some of them, they don’t have to order because we know what they want, but they still have to pay, even the regulars know that. Maybe, once in a blue moon, if no one else is in line or in the store, we won’t make the regulars pay because they come in once, sometimes twice, a day; so we think they deserve a free treat now and then.

The homeless guy, he stands at the bar as I am “assessing” the bar and this is a never-ending task (there is always milk to be restocked, cups to be refilled, counters to be wiped, containers to be refilled, tea to be re-brewed, etc…) so I am busy, but not so busy that I haven’t been noticing this guy wandering around our store, inside, outside (looking through the trash), he’s been around the block (literally) for the past two hours. So, when he walks up to the bar, I am not surprised, nor do I remind him to place his order at the register because I knew he wasn’t “ordering” anything.

I don’t mean to be unsympathetic or pitiless by not offering him something free but the first thing he mentioned when I made eye contact with him was that someone had stolen his Starbucks card and it had $6 on it. Now, I give him credit for making the story more credible by not saying it had some lucrative amount like $300 on it but I know he is fishing for a free drink. I fill up a cup with ice and water and I give him a little sample cup of passion tea. However, I don’t entertain his conversation about the stolen card even as he continues to lean on the bar. Plus, just like with an animal, I don’t want him to expect free stuff every time he walks in the store.
Finally, he gives up as I start making a drink for the next “paying” customer, and I (feeling sorry) watch him as he goes over to the condiment section as he pours the sample of passion tea into the ice water, adding about 30 sugar and honey packets. Resourceful little booger, I think, as I shake my head. I get a little bit teary when I look at his too-small muscle tank basketball shirt and dress shorts. I get slightly wistful for a second and think about the movie the Blindside and how much it can mean to just ONE if we are willing to help change their life.

Anyway, the day went on, hours went by, and right before the GM left for the day, she was at the register and who should walk up but old passion tea himself. Before I can warn her (and TRUST ME, I am trying to stare daggers at her as in we have ALREADY been down this road with him…he has been back in 3 times since I helped him and he has mooched off of everyone), he starts in about the card. Well, our GM, she’s a savory gal, she didn’t waste any time- she gave him the number to corporate, said if the card was registered then they could stop the card and send him a new one. Well, he didn’t like that because of course the “card” (it was a $4 card now instead of $6 like earlier, so he must have had some premonition that the perpetrator spent $2 that day on drinks) wasn’t registered…shocker.

He argued and yelled a couple times, loudly, about how we KEPT telling him about this registration and what-all…and in keeping with policy…neither of us said anything back except that we were extremely sorry and that he was right. He was right…even though he was wrong. Arguments with someone homeless aren’t won even if they are won. Arguments with customers aren’t won if they are won. Arguing is lose-lose when dealing with customer complaints, or in this case, noncustomer complaints.

So, he storms out amidst much staring and gawking…things of which I am sure are forms of admiration for him…I guess he finally got what he wanted. To be heard, seen, felt. I think today, passion tea man just wanted to be experienced. He accomplished that for sure!