strike that

turnaround

There was a winter storm warning for today, complete with panicked predictions of the sort of snowfall that stops Portland in its tracks (approximately 3 inches). So when my alarm went off at five a.m. I wanted to pull the covers over my head. It was looking like a cold, gray, sleepy day of sparse customers and icy driving. And now it’s nearly three and I’m basking in a windowfull of blue sky. I don’t know what happened some time midmorning but everything started going my way. It’s time to give out some Gold Stars.

Gold Star to (let’s just call you) Ron and Bev, owners of Celia’s, who not only were incredibly patient during the “training period” during which I got every other coffee drink wrong, but also remain just about the nicest people possible to work for. You know the names, jobs, families, hobbies, and secret dreams of everyone who comes in for a latte. You give me a break after the morning rush to go buy a New York Times from the corner store. You round up everything when you pay me, as in you round up the credit card tips and then round up the tip jar tips and then round up the total. Bev, you read science fiction. Ron, you do Sudoku. What could be sweeter?

Gold Star to all the unnecessarily generous coffee shop tippers, at Celia’s and everywhere. I don’t know what possesses you to put a dollar bill in my tip jar after purchasing a dollar-and-twenty-five-cent to-go cup-of-coffee; it defies all logic. It’s an eighty percent tip. I basically just smiled and handed you a cup. And the seventy-five cents change you got is right there in your hand. But do you drop just one, or even two or three of those quarters in the jar? No. You give me a whole dollar. It shocks me every time. I don’t know if you used to be a barista, or if you are very wealthy, or if you are flirting, or if you are simply a generous person. I don’t care. There are enough of you out there that those dollar tips completely change my hourly wage, and I really appreciate it.

Gold Star to Joshua. You sent me an email today with links to the next Portland Roller Derby match and the next Portland Opera performance, because after the Blazers game on Sunday we talked about doing more miscellaneous things around town. I don't know who else would be psyched for either of these events, let alone both.

Gold Star to Ty. You sent me a big box of Pennsylvania’s own TastyKakes when you were home for the holidays, and I’m enjoying one right now. Mmmmm. Oh yeah, and you started a new job last week.

Gold Star to my housemate Brad. You put on yellow rubber gloves yesterday and scrubbed the downstairs bathroom, even the tub. And one for my other housemate Jamey, because you cracked the Sunday crossword theme, but then left the puzzle unfinished cause you thought I’d have fun figuring it out.

Gold Star to Scott Turpen. I’ve never met you but apparently you are the Administrative Services Manager for Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services, in which capacity you signed the letter of hire that arrived in my mailbox today. I’m sorry you didn’t get to see the dance I performed upon opening said letter, but I assure you it was spirited.

Gold Star to Momofuku Ando. You died last Friday, but before that you invented ramen noodles, and for this the world is a better place.

posted by tortaluga @ 3:39 PM