Today was one of the busier days. The discussion for 105 was busier because I was typing our synopsis of the underlying problem with a given scenario. Then a quick email back home for the meeting tonight at my place. Dress up, IAS 106 class, then letter of rec workshop, then an info session at GPB 100 for a non profit agency called Bridgespan.
Then I did something I usually don’t do. I decided to go down to the 51 bus stop by the BART station on Shattuck. While waiting for the bus, I decided to get some coffee, for old time’s sake. I used to go to this place called Java City when I had classes at Vista. This particular night, there was this girl, she was sweeping the floor. She came around and took my order. I got the large milky way coffee and a salad with Italian dressing. I asked if she works here full time, and she replied, no I’m usually only here on Mondays – Wendsdays. I asked what else do you do, and she said she works at a donut shop, too. Besides that, I asked, and she replied by saying she goes to school and pointed in the general direction of the UC Berkeley campus. Then I gave her my credit card and my driver’s license, and she said, wow that’s very nice of you, to have the license ready, too, Mr… Kim. I said it’s a force of habit, and that she doesn’t have to call me Mr. Kim, I go to school too, I just came back from an info session. She then proceeded to say well have a good day, Mr. Kim. I said you can call me Elliott, do I ever get to find out what your name is? Walking away to help another customer, she said, it’s Jenny. I opened the door with my back and stared at the floor smirking to myself and walked away, back into the night I had come from.
I missed the bus while ordering and waited 15 minutes for the next one. But I’ll be damned if that wasn’t the best coffee I have ever had.