People like me are the sole reason why Coffee Bean and Starbucks continue to flourish, mushrooming ahead in the most backwater kampungs. I woke up early the other day, and of course in between moving and etc., I had not had the time to do my grocery shopping(buy coffee) and thus had to rush to the nearest Bean or Bucks to satiate that caffiene craving.
Alas!Bean was shut, can you believe it?8.30 am and they werent open yet! How on earth do they expect hard-working people like me to stay up the first half of the morning and complete urgent tasks such as instant messaging, replying emails and posting photos if they are SHUT we cannot get our COFFEE?
Thankfully the people at Starbucks are more understanding of the situation.
I once was so close to the barristas at the IP Starbucks that when I went to Canada, I got them stickers and autographs from the Starbucks (one of the many)on Queens/Kings St. They never received it though, I slipped it in one of my books and have yet to (SURPRISE!) find it.
But after too much of Starbucks..
SCENE:
Aja walks into Starbucks and opens her mouth, Starbucks barrista cuts her off with a chorus of " One double tall vanilla latte"!
I started to go to Coffee Bean. I felt like a traitor. To make matters worse,Bean and Bucks are located side by side.
SCENE:
Aja pulls up in car, she peers into Starbucks to gage the staff's observance level, she watches as business picks up.
Then, quickly, unassumingly, she ducks and runs into the warm woodsy-nees of Coffee Bean. They don't know her here. "One double tall vanilla latte please" They look at her, confused. She realises that she's using Bucks Lingo.
"Sorry, one double-shot regular vanilla latte,please", as an after thought, "Hot, flat top". The look of recognition dawns.
They take forever to make her order.She looks over her shoulder at the familiarity of Starbucks. They are still not done with her drink.
She runs over to Bucks and they make her the usual, while she waits, she confesses, and bitches about the slow service at Bean, eventhough they are empty.
She returns to get her other coffee.
The difference in a double shot vanilla latte from both places is:
Bucks: Sharper, skinnier, somehow seems more caffienated. Loses flavor as it get colder.
Bean: Smooth, creamy, thick, delicious hot and cold.
So, I've started going to the Bean at GP now that I'm living near there. The first morning I walked past Bucks to get to Bean, who should I see but the Manager from IP that has been transferred to GP. I stop to chat, he beckons to the barrista, I throw an apologetic look. "Sorry", I say. "Its Coffee Bean today".
Want to know one more thing about Bean's coffee?
Man does it make me shit.
And thus concludes 'The Bean and The Buck'. A story fit for youngsters at bed-time.
