The northern sun was setting! The crowds still thronged what looked like Main Street. They seemed to be enjoying the shopping, the casual evening walk or the parties that would go late into the night. Ottawa in summer was a fun city...
I was the odd one! I always am. I had an early dinner and was walking back to my hotel. My laggard pace suggested I didn't have much to do that night. Time stood still for me. I was truly matching pace with the large group of senior citizens from the US that were on a tour of Ottawa. Their day was done, as was mine, and they crossed the street in pairs, some holding hands, others not, to get to the huge bus that was waiting to ferry them to their quarters for the night. They were probably headed to other exciting places the next day, but they were done for today. I walked down Main Street (or up, I can't really say), soaking in the sights, enjoying the nothingness...
I felt like coffee! I was assuredly several thousand (or at least a few hundred) miles away from my favorite South Indian Filter Coffee, so I settled for second best, Starbucks. I have to grant, Starbucks is my favorite American brand, not just coffee. Actually, it's not even the coffee. A lot of people say, it is overpriced, unprintable whatever. But I like Starbucks. I like their stores, the couches, the free wi-fi and the fact that I can lounge there forever having just bought one tall latte for a little over $3 (the $ goes even further in Canada)! I love their cups, especially when they turn a beautiful red during the holiday season. But what I love most is that cup in my right hand as I wade through the streets at my own sweet pace. A sip every now and then that matches the rhythm of my walk. The something that fills my nothing...
I saw the sign! I had walked only a few blocks and there it was, in a shopping mall, overlooking the street, but with the entrance inside the mall. I stepped inside through the huge revolving doors and got in the store. This time I was not alone. Many Canadians seemed to like a coffee at that time of the day or were they a multi-cultural mix of people from different parts of the world, all arrived on their bus tours! Whatever it was, I fell in line, a long one at that and moving slowly too. Nothingness filled the store...
I saw her when I was fifth in line! She was the only one at the register, which explains why the line was moving slowly, and she was doing her best being efficient in taking the orders, punching them in the computer, collecting the payment, providing the receipt while ensuring with her words that she had taken total care of that customer. Thanks to technology, she didn't have to shout out the orders to the back office, the 2 others who made and served the coffee, or else, got their orders from another computer (or so it seemed). I took one step forward as the one customer collected his receipt and moved over to pick up his drink. I now faced her fully and for one brief moment, our eyes met. The smile was fixed on her face so I was sure that was not meant for me especially, but just as she wrapped another order, our eyes met again, this time, just a moment longer. Something instantly crossed my mind...
I was next up! I moved up to the register and stood facing her, one foot and a half of table space between. "Hi, Good Evening, welcome to Starbucks, what can I get for you today?", she said. "One tall latte", I said and briefly looked over the glass containers that held the pastries. "Everything looks good, but I think I'll just have the coffee", I said, even as I faced her smile again. "Could you add an extra shot please", I added. "Extra shot? Sure", she said and, "one tall latte with an extra shot", she repeated as she punched it in the computer. That would be $3.43, she said, "would you like a receipt"? "Yes, thank you", I said (I was travelling on work and this was a billable expense). I slowly reached to the back of my trouser and into the right pocket for my wallet. I opened it and then considered whether I should pay by cash or card. The line was still building behind me, so I had to make my choice and I pulled out my credit card reluctantly. She received it, swiped it, pucnhed some keys and tore out the receipt, all in one swift motion and as she handed me back the receipt, she flashed that smile at me again. "Is there anything else you'd like", she said...
"YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL", I wanted to say! And that's all I wanted to say. Nothing more. Just that. But I didn't. "That would be all, thank you", I said, like those words were programmed in my head the day I first stepped into a Starbucks store. And before I knew it, I moved over, collected my coffee, left the store and was back on the street. With something, but nothing...
"Why didn't I say it?", I wondered to myself. She was beautiful. I was sure of that. Was I shy? Or afraid? Maybe closeted. Maybe conservative. I wanted to say it. I was too sure of that. Something stopped me...
On the walk back to the hotel and on several others with a Starbucks cup in my right hand, I have wondered about it again. And I always end up asking myself the same question. "Why didn't I say it"?
Someday soon, I will! Just like I see it. Just because I feel it and just because I want to. For nothing else. With No Malice...
I was the odd one! I always am. I had an early dinner and was walking back to my hotel. My laggard pace suggested I didn't have much to do that night. Time stood still for me. I was truly matching pace with the large group of senior citizens from the US that were on a tour of Ottawa. Their day was done, as was mine, and they crossed the street in pairs, some holding hands, others not, to get to the huge bus that was waiting to ferry them to their quarters for the night. They were probably headed to other exciting places the next day, but they were done for today. I walked down Main Street (or up, I can't really say), soaking in the sights, enjoying the nothingness...
I felt like coffee! I was assuredly several thousand (or at least a few hundred) miles away from my favorite South Indian Filter Coffee, so I settled for second best, Starbucks. I have to grant, Starbucks is my favorite American brand, not just coffee. Actually, it's not even the coffee. A lot of people say, it is overpriced, unprintable whatever. But I like Starbucks. I like their stores, the couches, the free wi-fi and the fact that I can lounge there forever having just bought one tall latte for a little over $3 (the $ goes even further in Canada)! I love their cups, especially when they turn a beautiful red during the holiday season. But what I love most is that cup in my right hand as I wade through the streets at my own sweet pace. A sip every now and then that matches the rhythm of my walk. The something that fills my nothing...
I saw the sign! I had walked only a few blocks and there it was, in a shopping mall, overlooking the street, but with the entrance inside the mall. I stepped inside through the huge revolving doors and got in the store. This time I was not alone. Many Canadians seemed to like a coffee at that time of the day or were they a multi-cultural mix of people from different parts of the world, all arrived on their bus tours! Whatever it was, I fell in line, a long one at that and moving slowly too. Nothingness filled the store...
I saw her when I was fifth in line! She was the only one at the register, which explains why the line was moving slowly, and she was doing her best being efficient in taking the orders, punching them in the computer, collecting the payment, providing the receipt while ensuring with her words that she had taken total care of that customer. Thanks to technology, she didn't have to shout out the orders to the back office, the 2 others who made and served the coffee, or else, got their orders from another computer (or so it seemed). I took one step forward as the one customer collected his receipt and moved over to pick up his drink. I now faced her fully and for one brief moment, our eyes met. The smile was fixed on her face so I was sure that was not meant for me especially, but just as she wrapped another order, our eyes met again, this time, just a moment longer. Something instantly crossed my mind...
I was next up! I moved up to the register and stood facing her, one foot and a half of table space between. "Hi, Good Evening, welcome to Starbucks, what can I get for you today?", she said. "One tall latte", I said and briefly looked over the glass containers that held the pastries. "Everything looks good, but I think I'll just have the coffee", I said, even as I faced her smile again. "Could you add an extra shot please", I added. "Extra shot? Sure", she said and, "one tall latte with an extra shot", she repeated as she punched it in the computer. That would be $3.43, she said, "would you like a receipt"? "Yes, thank you", I said (I was travelling on work and this was a billable expense). I slowly reached to the back of my trouser and into the right pocket for my wallet. I opened it and then considered whether I should pay by cash or card. The line was still building behind me, so I had to make my choice and I pulled out my credit card reluctantly. She received it, swiped it, pucnhed some keys and tore out the receipt, all in one swift motion and as she handed me back the receipt, she flashed that smile at me again. "Is there anything else you'd like", she said...
"YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL", I wanted to say! And that's all I wanted to say. Nothing more. Just that. But I didn't. "That would be all, thank you", I said, like those words were programmed in my head the day I first stepped into a Starbucks store. And before I knew it, I moved over, collected my coffee, left the store and was back on the street. With something, but nothing...
"Why didn't I say it?", I wondered to myself. She was beautiful. I was sure of that. Was I shy? Or afraid? Maybe closeted. Maybe conservative. I wanted to say it. I was too sure of that. Something stopped me...
On the walk back to the hotel and on several others with a Starbucks cup in my right hand, I have wondered about it again. And I always end up asking myself the same question. "Why didn't I say it"?
Someday soon, I will! Just like I see it. Just because I feel it and just because I want to. For nothing else. With No Malice...
5 comments:
In all these years you have not changed Suri. You are the still the 20 year old I used to go to college with.
On this one I beg to differ, there are a few things better not said. Even if you did, it may not have left the same impression in your mind as what you have today.
suri..u said it..many a times...we dont say what we want to say to the near and dear..let alone strangers...
btw..nice post, i cud smell the aroma of SB...
Thanks Shankar and Vishy.
:) u are certainly mastering the art of turning daily minutiae into interesting reads. keep going da!
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