starter pack

I was at work yesterday, and it wasn't very busy. We are in finals week right now at the college, so we're expecting lots of busy-ness in the testing center, but so far, it's been quite mild. This implies a calm before the storm, because they're all going to hit us Monday - the last day of finals. 

So we were hanging about being not too busy, and somebody jokingly suggests that Sarge go and reclaim something that had been "borrowed" from us and not returned. This was eluding to the fact that Sarge had spent some time in his younger days as a Repo Man. 

So Sarge looks to me and says he'll go get the thing if I get our little espresso machine to work and make him a coffee. Yes, there is a small espresso machine in our breakroom that nobody's figured out how to work. 

"I don't even drink those fancy coffees", I revealed, "why me?"

It's true. I've mentioned that Magnum and I take regular "coffee walks" on the weekends. We visit various coffee shops around town, but we are so boring - coupla drip coffees with cream, please. That's it. No mocha latte macchiato dolce blah blah blah. Sometimes I wonder if we're the only ones who order basic drip.

And then Sarge reminded me, "I used to be a repo man, you used to be a barista".

Omigosh, that's right. I had such a short-lived time as a barista, I'd practically forgot about it. 

Back when covid hit the US, shortly after we'd moved here, I was working at a quaint cafe inside a small local hospital. I enjoyed that job. The schedule was perfect, the team was wonderful, including the bosses. I had a list of items I prepared each shift, under no stress of the ticket machine, and my only customers were other staff in the kitchen. Plus it was a lovely bicycle commute.

Who knows how long I would've stayed on if not for a freaking global pandemic?

But then covid hit, the hospital stopped all elective surgeries, and even shut down the maternity ward. The cafe was shut down, and we provided a few to-go items for the lean staff on site. The kitchen had to be open for patients who were allowed solid food - usually 5 or less. The front counter stayed open for hospital staffers coming to quickly grab a coffee or snack and get out.

Management did what they could so that we all had at least a few hours each week. This meant that we would all become jacks of ALL trades rather than master of our specific job descriptions.

So I still prepared a few items, also delivered trays to patients, did what I could on the line, and... made and served those specialty beverages - tamping, steaming, frothing, and whatnot. There is surprisingly a lot to it, or so it seemed to cuppa-drip-with-cream me.

Daunting piece of equipment, even as I look at it  now

I ended up leaving that job because the pandemic wasn't going anywhere soon. But I suppose yes, I can say I was once a barista. 

Maybe after finals, when things quiet down, I'll figure out that little espresso machine in the breakroom. It's a kitten next to that lion of a machine at the hospital. How hard can it be? *famous last words*

In related news, I had my last tutoring session of the semester yesterday afternoon. They're on their own now. 

I tucked the math part of my brain away for a while and drew a Spider-Verse dude because...

I don't know.