When Will I Ever Be Interesting Again?

Today was a day of ritual coffeeshop drudgery. It's a lunch shift, but not so bad. I handle it well, though I had a penny-tucker today and I had to clench my fist under the counter to keep from slapping her.

I was slogging away when a blonde woman walked up to the counter and asked for a tea. She handed me a red travel mug to fill with water - a nice mug, shiny, with that special outer layer of plastic that holds in the heat and a white logo that said - wait, what?

A white logo that said TASTE, with the familiar coil of steam rising from the cup.

I held the mug in my hand for a minute, mulling over what to say to her. I decided to be safe.

"So, Taste...that's gotta be a chain, huh?" I giggled. Stupidly. So I would look stupid.

"No, actually, it's this cafe in this tiny town in New York called East A"

"NO WAY, I LIVE THERE." The look in her eyes indicated that I had scared the crap out of her.

"Oh...really? Actually, my in-laws own the cafe."

"Haha that's so cool! Yeah everyone goes there I mean we used to go to the other place called Exquisite Taste but it was a smaller venue, you know, so it was always crowded but their pastries are really good and it's kind of the place everyone goes when we get back from school to talk and hang out and they have these great couches and...stuff." I think this is where I ran out of breath.

"Uhh, yeah, that's...great." She backed away from the counter nervously, dunking her teabag to make it look like she had an excuse to leave.

"So yeah haha I mean have you ever been there? It's really cute and they have a cow? in the rafters? I mean not really. It's a blowup cow. And it's smaller than a regular cow." I was leaning over the counter to compensate for her backing away.

"No, I haven't. They never want to go when I come visit. Listen, I got a...thing. Ok bye." She ran away.

And that is how I scared the crap out of some poor lady today.