Exerpt from a Letter to a Fellow Barista

Work's going good. I LOVE IT. I think I like it way better than anyone else who's there. But nevertheless, I love it. I love being a barista. I don't know why, but I think it's the best day job anyone could ever have.

I mean, you start everyone's day off. You have the potential to start their day off really good. You get to make cool things with milk and fruit and coffee, and laugh at people for paying WAY too much for it. And you get to listen to rad music all day and dance to it if you want, all in the name of enthusiasm. You get to rush around like a chicken with its head cut off. It's so fun.

And have you ever realized how COOL people think it is to be a Barista. I mean, it's glorified food service, but deep down, people really respect you! They look up to you. They say things like "man, I could never remember the names of all those drinks". And you laugh inside because you know that they're doctors and lawyers and stock brokers and they really COULD remember the names of all those drinks if they didn't have anything better to do than get a job at Starbucks. But, when they take that long-awaited gulp of their daily drug, in their eyes, you see a dependence, a deep gratitude for the person who ever so skillfully heats their milk and sloshes a little coffee in it. Throw a grid of carmel on top, and you're an "angel" or a "sweetheart" or "THE BEST". People marvel at the delicacy. But have you ever really tasted a latte and thought "that's good"? Blah. Disgusting.

But friend, if the world wants their latte, the world will HAVE their latte. If the world wants to pay 5 dollars a day for it, to keep me and you alive, then let them! And let them make up silly little nicknames for their favorite coffee friends. "I drink a decaf grande 3/4 Soy, 1/4 skim 2 pump sugar free toasted tonail no foam your mom's extra hot and skinny latte. But only Evie can make mine right". Yes, people can be silly sometimes, but I love the customers. They are the essence of the job. The people you serve are always the ones you fall in love with. And I LOVE SERVING COFFEE. At Starbucks, At the Bistro in Kansas, ... wherever it is.
I LOVE it. People around the globe take pride and joy in their jobs. Coffee Jobs are the same. People LOVE to make coffee.