On yarn and getting "milked"

[sparkfrost]

I had another expedition to the yarn store this weekend. I had originally bought two skeins of that lovely baby alpaca yarn, but after getting through them the scarf was still not long enough. So my friend Gerti and I went back out to Woolwinders in Rockville to get me some more skeins and to then hang out and knit. Well. I guess I wasn't the only one drawn to that yarn, because it was sold out. I spoke to the woman who owns the store, and she is special ordering two more skeins for me, but still, that was disappointing. So I ended up starting early on my friend Chris' Redskins scarf. I bought 4 skeins, two of a rusty red, one cream, and one yellow. Stripes will happen! And tassels! Gerti suggested that I try doing a ribbed scarf, and taught me the purl stitch. However, 3 inches in and the stitch wasn't looking that great with the cotton yarn. So I've pulled it apart and am just doing a garter stitch for this project. When I start on the fingerless gloves I'll give purling another try, but I'll probably also get a thicker yarn to do it in.

So after the yarn store we walked over to Mayorga, a local coffee chain, to drink coffee and knit for a while. I ordered my new favorite drink, a dirty soy chai. I know, it kinda makes me an obnoxious coffee drinker, but here are my justifications: 1)Lactose intolerant, must drink soy. 2)Love chai. 3)Chai is not caffeinated enough to prevent me from getting headaches. 4)Kind of hate how espresso and soy taste together, with a few exceptions. So! It makes the most sense for me to get a soy chai, and have them throw a shot in there. Tasty and prevents caffeine headaches! Rock on! Except for on Saturday, because the barista gave me cows milk. The chai and the espresso masked the taste, so I didn't realize anything was wrong until about halfway through. Which means I drank 8 oz of cows milk. I don't know how many of you are lactose intolerant, but in case you didn't know, digesting dairy products without the aid of an enzyme pill like Lactaid is incredibly painful. I was in a severe amount of pain and discomfort for the next 4 hours, alternating with bouts of nausea so bad I *wished* I were throwing up rather than feeling this. It ruined our plans for Saturday evening, and I felt like shit until I finally was able to go to sleep around midnight.

Look. I'm a barista, I get that sometimes mistakes happen. But I have NEVER made a mistake that could hurt someone. When a person orders soy, I don't assume they're doing it to be trendy, I assume they are either lactose intolerant or have a milk allergy. And I ask! Because if it is intolerance, I just need to rinse out a pitcher. If its an allergy, I need to sanitize a pitcher, or grab one that hasn't yet been used. I don't fuck around with something that can hurt people! And I'm really pissed that this barista either didn't write down that I ordered (and paid for) soy, or didn't care. I've submitted a complaint to the company, though I doubt anything will come of it. And I won't be going back to that coffee shop. Frankly, I'm not really in a place where I'm trusting anyone but me to make my own drink, because I don't want to be poisoned again. Soy. Not an unreasonable request!

Anyhow! This took longer than I though, and I have homework to do. So. Off to work on my final exam, and finish up my term project powerpoint. Til later!

Also- it might make me a hipster, but I am clearly using this icon ironically. SO ANGRY! WILL NOT BE CALM!

Comments

[lostrack621.livejournal.com]

Like you said earlier - you never know why a person orders what they order; could be anything - preference, allergy, etc. Since I rarely order coffee or anything like that, I don't have to be super vigilant with watching..but I was trained as a young kid to go through food orders when I got them at the table - my dad's allergic to cheese and so we always ordered without cheese. Similarly, I do not prefer tomatoes and if a dish comes with them when I've ordered it without, I make it really clear that simply taking the tomatoes off will not cut it -- and if whoever in the back does it, the manager hears about it.

How is it that assholes seem to be in the jobs that most require customer service and compassion? (yourself excluded, of course) - by and large it seems like there are so many more jerks in roles like that than nice, understanding people. I know that you've been frustrated by customers (biscotti lady, for example), but I know that you would NEVER be careless with an order or give lip about it.

[sparkfrost.livejournal.com]

I'll be honest, I give lip about unreasonable requests- bone dry soy cappuccino? Sorry, isn't going to happen, soy doesn't foam the same way cows milk does. I'll make it as dry as I can, but it won't be comparable to a skim cappuccino. But for the most part I try to be accommodating; I know that people are really particular about their coffee and that I don't always know the reason for it. So long as it isn't an impossible request, I will do my very best to comply.