I usually come in with a good mood on Sundays and keep it through the majority of my shift. The customers are a little more relaxed, things are generally cleaner since there was no crazy morning rush, and everyone working doesn’t seem so tired and worn down. Ten minutes into my shift, I’m working with a truly hilarious partner on register (who never is able to censor herself in front of customers) and another barista is on bar. I’m expediting a short line of 5 when my register parter says “hey, look, its… uh, John Kimmel.” So I’m looking for a John or perhaps a Jimmy Kimmel in my store when my eyes find Jon Stewart. The Jon Stewart is in my store looking up at the menu (and when I say looking at the menu, I mean admiring my signature hot chocolate sign - I’m sure) I’m such a fan of this intelligent, ridiculously funny man.
So I calm myself a bit and expedite the line up to him. I didn’t want to rush him (unlike every customer ever inline on a cellphone) so I waited until he knew what he wanted. He looked a little older than he does on tv, but hey who doesn’t? He was with his adorable son, and they way he spoke to him was so cute and genuine. (I know that sounds stupid - the majority of conversation between a father and a 6 year old child don’t sound fake, but you just never think about how someone famous like that talks to their kid.) His son wanted juice - apple juice, but Jon says to him that it doesn’t seem to be on the menu. I tell him we have it, he smiles at me and asks for a medium.
If you want to know, Jon got an iced venti nonfat latte.
He later asked for a marble loaf and oatmeal cranberry cookie, and I was the one who gave it to him. He said thanks and smiled right freaking at me when I gave them to him. So Jon Stewart and I are basically BFF or BFFL or maybe even BFFEAEAEAE.
I’m so mad though. I’m usually really outgoing with everyone, but I totes geeked out and didn’t say anything! He’s just so great, and I was trying to think of the perfect thing to say to let him know that I appreciated his greatness. Like I could have said that I like the marble loaf also but that would have sounded… yeah that would have sounded really stupid. Or uh why didn’t I comment on the Ohio State hat? I so should have mentioned that we should be watching the games together because I’m such an OSU fan - Go Buckeyes! I could have offered him some Sarah Palin material in my wisconsin/northern ohio/alaska accent, like the starbucks thing - I could have been the senior starbucks correspondent on the daily show. UGH I’m such a tool.
Anyway, I always hope that recognizeable people say thank you and smile, and don’t diva it out by throwing a venti soy latte on me while screaming “I SAID NO FOAM.” So Jon Stewart was one of the nice ones - seemed extreamly normal and just an all around good guy.
And while we’re (somewhat) on this subject, why is it that when an awesome someone like this comes in, I’m the only one who really know who he is, but when an actor like Anthony Anderson makes a bitchy appearence, every barista (cept me) flips out? Let me just say that if Jim Halpert comes in and no other partner pays attention to him, I’m transferring to another starbucks store.
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