The Smoothie Diaries: Regulars

I think most people in my position of working a food service job have this in common: favourite regulars. Those people who are always stopping by your smoothie bar, coffee stand, fast food window etc. Here's my account of some of my favourite regulars...

They are around my parents age. She has a great smile and wears bright colours. He is skinny and wears funky glasses. They have a cool fashion sense. They love old silent cinema. They are funny and smart and most of all: kind.

They are my favourite customers, because they seem to genuinely enjoy one another's company. I see a lot of couples who look like they are tired of each other, or exasperated. Sometimes the guy makes jokes at expense of his wife. But not these two. 

One time, I actually told them how sweet I thought they were as a couple. They were a little surprised to receive this commentary from the Smoothie Lady, but they recovered and actually ended up telling me about how they met.

She said that they met in the elevator. He wasn't the kind of glamorous guy she usually went for, but she decided to give him a chance. She said, "I will never regret giving him a chance. He is the kindest man and has bent he best thing that happened to me."

I can tell that he adores her too. He laughs at her jokes and buys her smoothies to take home to her. 

One morning when I had a 6 AM shift she came by the bar and ordered their typical kale smoothies. After I gave her the drinks I left for the restroom. When I got back there was a small purple orchid sitting on the register!

I was so confused until she walked past again and said, "I just thought you could use something pretty back there today."

I still have the orchid. I am trying hard to keep it alive in our apartment, even though I know little about caring for these exotic flowers.

Not only does the plant look good on my kitchen window sill, but reminds me that a job like working behind a little smoothie bar at a large grocery chain is not a purely meaningless thing -- it is also a place where relationships can form and people can tocuh one another's lives.