Customer finally understood what he had been building. Customer ordered hot chicken sandwich, large iced coffee. Customer ordered californian carrot cake, medium blended coffee drink, small iced coffee. Customer ordered large blended coffee drink; said it looked like we’d see four more years of the President. Customer ordered hot chicken sandwich, two almond croissants, and medium coffee to go.
There seemed to have been a coincidental encounter between the attendant and the partner of a customer (New Zealanders) on the bike path earlier in the week –just after that torrential and destructive rain…. Iced vanilla latte with honey.
Customer ordered large iced americano with extra ice and large iced latte. Customer ordered medium caramel latte with soy and an extra shot. (Was taking advantage of her daughter being at camp to clear out her daughter’s room.) How much space did you need to grow mushrooms joke was asked? (Not MUSH ROOM) Customer not getting the mushroom joke then suddenly getting the mushroom joke and going ballistic with laughter (then going on about his drinking binges, about his magic mushroom trips and escapades with nudists…) Customer not getting, then getting, the mushroom joke (and laughing modestly). Customer asked which Stones song it was that mentioned Needles, CA. Customer was thrilled to hear another customer had gotten a job finally. So was another customer and another — It was so great. Attendant also expressed his congratulations. Customer himself expressed relief, satisfaction, “I mean finally — though I may be in over my head.”
Customer’s daughter already in school: wants to make devices with physical therapy applications. Person thinking of self as “dude”, called “babe”; person thinking of self as “woman”, called “gentleman.” Customer said you can’t talk to nobody about their addiction: they have to hit their bottom first. (Customer sensed addictiveness in the odd sleep and activity patterns of a friend.) Local artist needed photographs of her work put from cd-rom onto her hardrive and from there onto an application to participate in an art show. Customers, a couple, ordered two everything bagels with veggie cream cheese, a medium latte, and double macchiato. Early sunday morning, no customers, attendant read in Luke of the sinning woman who had wetted the feet of Jesus with her tears and washed his feet with her hair. “Those who have sinned much have loved much.” (Attendant, walking home, had recalled Lou Reed’s introduction to the song “Sunday Morning” on the Velvet Underground record Live at Max’s Kansas City and was newly touched by it, wanted to hear the song.)
Attendant at certain point realized he was having a good day and thought at the same time he didn’t want to jinx or alter it by making any sort of statement about it having been good: feet felt good, always the first thing; then business was steady, not too much or too little; then, of the customers he knew well, they were being well behaved, respectful of each other; then, of the customers he didn’t, they seemed to tolerate where they might have judged and to appreciate where they might have not got it. Worked harder and longer than usual and yet it seemed like an especially light burden.
Customer said never buy a house with dormers. Customer asked what the name of this neighborhood was. Customer ordered everything bagel, if there was no cinnamon, with peanut butter and jelly and medium coffee — gemash gemash. –izzi weyis yemihed? — izzi. Customer ordered small iced mocha no whip. Customer failed important technical exam at work. Customer said this was her second independence day as a citizen (after decades of residency). Customer had not heard until this past week of the 4-inch rule governing plastic recycling. The street having taken that dull cast to it, suddenly, that almost certainly meant it would rain.
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