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Year Three, Day 341: "I'm Just a Kid!"

With all the negative press that Starbucks has been getting lately, I enjoyed a very pleasant visit to my favorite location today.

It is the one on SE Holgate off of Cesar Chavez.  The spot of the old Cupie Cone.  I was so sad to see the demise of Cupie Cone. But this Starbucks has such a good vibe.  Mostly due to the very chill baristas that work there.

I often bring my own lunch, and they have never given me the "no outside food" lecture.  I get free refills on my coffee and pleasant conversation. Plus there is always an outlet available for me to charge my always dying cell phone.

AND it is in my teaching hood.  I stop there on the way to students at least twice a week.  Today, with the glorious sunshine warming my tired bones, seemed like a good day for an iced tea. 

I pulled out my cell phone, and was pulling up my Starbucks app and preparing to enter, when an older, toothless man in ragged clothes called out to me from the sidewalk, "Hey, lady. Will you buy me a cup o' coffee?"

I said I would. I asked him if he would like cream and sugar.

"Yes, please", he grinned, exposing one tooth.

He was not toothless after all!

I walked in and was greeted by my favorite barista, a fellow musician. I told him I would like an iced tea and a cup of coffee for the gentleman seated outside.

I was a bit worried because I did not have much money left on my Starbucks card.  The barista asked if I wanted to order an 8 ounce coffee.  I told him I did not even know that they had that size!

It is called a short. I've never seen in on the menu.  Starbucks does have their marketing down!

My barista got my drinks ready and handed me the coffee first.

"It is so nice of you to bring some cheer to a stranger today", he smiled.

"It makes me feel human", I smiled back.

And it did. I was very tired all day. Still recovering from a long day in court yesterday. And much worry.  I tossed and turned last night, with anxious thought of my family member in crisis. Could he abide by the terms of his sentence?  There was a lot to do.

But another family member warned me not to enable him. "He needs to learn his lesson", they said.

Oy.  I love to help. I love to fix.  But this I cannot.

So I must step back. The worry is not good for my inner peace, my health, or the bags under my eyes!

Although one of my middle school students paid me a high compliment. His grandmother pulled me aside and told me asked her if it was o.k. to tell Teacher Zita it looked liked she had lost a lot of weight.

Grandma told him, "Sure! Just say, ' Teacher Zita, it looks like you have list a lot of weight!"

He looked at her and rolled his eyes. "I can't say that", he said. "I'm just a kid!"


On that note, I wish you a pleasant evening.

Talk to you tomorrow!

Love,

Zita




P.S. Here is today's hooping video. Day 293!



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