I ran into my surfer buddy Steve today and as usual we were taking turns cracking each other up about the good ol' days. I asked Steve for a quick write up about one of our favorite trips to a Starbucks a few years back. Check it out:
From: Steve
To: Eric
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012
Subject: A Trip to Starbucks
To: Eric
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012
Subject: A Trip to Starbucks
Eric,
Per your request, here’s what happened that fateful day when we made a quick stop at the Starbucks in Sunnyvale California back in 2008:
Upon entering Starbucks in Sunnyvale California one Fall morning back in 2008 my friend, Eric Cedeno, and I were met by a lengthy line; all the way back to the store entrance. There were a good baker’s dozen of us waiting on this line. As I recall, we were engaged in light banter regarding the eclectic Starbucks décor and we were in a happy place knowing we’d be receiving our caffeine infusions shortly.
I was the first of us to place my, separate, order. The counter girl was young, early 20’s with an academic look to her but clearly struggling to keep up the required pace and move the customers through the line. It was loud in the store that morning, the din of Silicon Valley chatter filled the air and made for a challenging environment to communicate in. I place my order; a Venti Americano at 180 degrees. When asked for my name I responded, “Steve” to which the young coed responded, struggling to hear in the chaotic scene, “Teve?” I paused, looked her in the eye, smiled, and spoke with a little more volume, “No, sorry, it’s Steve”, to which she responded, “Oh, of course, who in the world would have such a ridiculous name like Teve!” She gushed with amusement at the silliness of the situation, wrote my name on my personal coffee vessel and moved on to the next customer, Eric.
Eric placed his order (Grande Vanilla Latte), doing so in a clear deep voice that resonated above the background noise. Upon completing the order, the girl asks Eric for his name. Eric gives a sheepish grin, feigning embarrassment, and in perfect deadpan delivery replies with a booming, “TEVE!”. The young lady’s reaction could be best described as, volcanic. Initially she stared back at Eric in utter horror, smoldering, remembering what she’d said only moments before about “Teve” being a ridiculous name. The eruption came almost immediately as she realized what had just taken place. The tension vanished from her face and she literally exploded in laughter, struggling to stand upright! Eric and I exploded with laughter and everyone around us exploded with laughter! The tone of the day was set, our work was done…
I was the first of us to place my, separate, order. The counter girl was young, early 20’s with an academic look to her but clearly struggling to keep up the required pace and move the customers through the line. It was loud in the store that morning, the din of Silicon Valley chatter filled the air and made for a challenging environment to communicate in. I place my order; a Venti Americano at 180 degrees. When asked for my name I responded, “Steve” to which the young coed responded, struggling to hear in the chaotic scene, “Teve?” I paused, looked her in the eye, smiled, and spoke with a little more volume, “No, sorry, it’s Steve”, to which she responded, “Oh, of course, who in the world would have such a ridiculous name like Teve!” She gushed with amusement at the silliness of the situation, wrote my name on my personal coffee vessel and moved on to the next customer, Eric.
Eric placed his order (Grande Vanilla Latte), doing so in a clear deep voice that resonated above the background noise. Upon completing the order, the girl asks Eric for his name. Eric gives a sheepish grin, feigning embarrassment, and in perfect deadpan delivery replies with a booming, “TEVE!”. The young lady’s reaction could be best described as, volcanic. Initially she stared back at Eric in utter horror, smoldering, remembering what she’d said only moments before about “Teve” being a ridiculous name. The eruption came almost immediately as she realized what had just taken place. The tension vanished from her face and she literally exploded in laughter, struggling to stand upright! Eric and I exploded with laughter and everyone around us exploded with laughter! The tone of the day was set, our work was done…
Steve
10/25/12
