2009, I welcome you

I was on break over the holiday season from work. During that time I received two text messages and one phone call concerning the fact my little coffee shop was also not working. In one message my friend explained he has a rather important deadline approaching and he has been going without his usual latte. I told him not to worry and, "when I return in 2009 you will have lattes back in your life again." He made it clear that when I return to work I should give him a call immediately. So he would know and could return to the coffee shop again.

It's rather strange receiving this kind of response. I start to feel like I am a spokesperson, rather than just a girl who makes cappuccinos and bosses people around. And this kind of feedback is nothing new. My ex-boyfriend stops in at my coffee shop from time to time and if he isn't satisfied with the drink (made by someone else, of course) he will immediately text me his complaint. Except, he will make it sound like he's just been injured and will follow up the message by finding me in person, just to further elaborate on how horrific of a drink it was. He stopped doing this about a month ago and instead won't order a drink unless I am there and I personally make it.

Perhaps you are reading this and wondering if I allow such neurotic behavior. The answer is: Oh yes! Of course. I know how he likes his drinks and I was the one who ended it with him, so of course I can repay the guilt by making his coffee drinks with the utmost care. Sometimes the world feels scary. The economy is in shambles. A new year is here and for many, 2008 was a headache. So if one can turn to something simple, such as the perfect latte, in the middle of such chaos- why not?