A reminder from Starbucks (and NCIS)

We walk into a Starbucks in East Nashville. It’s early Saturday morning.

I get lost in my phone while we wait to order. After a few seconds, my wife nudges me and mumbles, “We got a situation.”

I give her my confused look.

She lowers her voice. “The guy in front of us is upset because they won’t take a $100 bill. He’s got an accent….I think he—and his wife and child over there—are visiting from another country.”

(FTR, I am NOT surprised Cindi has gleaned all this valuable intel so quickly. She watches Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo solve cases JUST LIKE this one every day on the NCIS channel.)

The manager comes over. He listens patiently and apologizes profusely to the upset customer. He calmly explains that (a) he doesn’t have that much change, and (b) it’s company policy not to take big bills. 

He tells the man he will give him his order for free.

You would think, “Case closed.”

But, no, the man with the $100 bill is not having it. He doesn’t quite yell or rant. But he is worked UP. He is making a passionate case against this unimaginable injustice.

“I’m gonna say he’s an attorney from Norway,” I whisper to my wife. She glares at me (probably because I mock her every time I walk through the room and catch watching Ziva and Abby and Gibbs.)

The man’s diatribe goes on for a good five minutes, interrupted only by repeated explanations that “Sir, I’m really sorry. I don’t make company policy but I have to follow it.”

At one point the manager glances back at us as if to say, “I’m sorry for the wait.” (Cindi suspects his long blinks are Morse code for “Call for help!”)

Eventually, Upset Man moves to the end of the counter to wait for his order. There, he continues to fuss and fume under his breath over the company’s policy.

The relieved (and emotionally spent) manager takes our order and refuses to charge us. “No, you had to wait.” 

As he pours our coffee, $100-bill man comes back over and says, “Can I say one more thing about this situation?”

The manager politely but firmly responds, “No. We’re done talking.”

Cindi and I cringe. NCIS? Nope. We've escalated. We’re now in Dateline territory!

The man clenches his jaw. He gets his order and his family leaves.

We get our coffee and sit. Fifteen minutes later, Cindi mutters, “Uh oh.”

It’s the irritated customer, walking BACK into the Starbucks!

He is making a beeline for the manager. Our hearts stop.

As he gets to the counter, the man…extends his hand. He and the manager shake. For a long time.

Though we can’t hear their conversation, it’s pretty obvious what is happening.

For me, this tense incident was such a timely reminder.

Doesn’t it seem like the whole country (world?) is on edge?

People are scared and angry—and not the least bit reluctant to express it. (Though I’m convinced that right below the surface, what’s really going on is a kind of grief.)

Whatever the reason, it seems like everyone is quick to snap over trivial things.

So…

Props to a calm Starbucks manager for displaying professionalism, amazing people skills, and healthy boundaries.

And kudos to a (ahem) “Norwegian lawyer” who overreacted big-time, but then had the humility to own it and try to make it right.

May we learn from both of them.