Second Cup German.

I've noticed over the past two weeks working at Second cup that there are regulars: People that come in every day and order the same thing. Most of the time, the baristas know exactly what to prepare without even hearing a word from the customer. There's one customer that has a custom drink not even on the menu - called a Luigi! However, if you're new like me, sometimes we have to do a little staring match at the cash register before they realize that I'm new and cannot read their minds and before I realize that they're a regular.

This afternoon for example, a man with a heavy accent comes into the shop that I recognize as one of these so-called regulars, but I can't, for the life of me, remember what he ordered last time. I let him know that I've forgotten - adding on to the end of my sentence the fact that I'm still new.

He proceeded to smile and tell me his order, while also asking me my name. (I guess he figures if I'm going to make him a drink from memory, my name is a must). Our conversation proceeded like this:

That's a german name! he says to me.
Yes, it is. My last name is even more so. Krause (said with proper accent). I respond
Sprechen-sie Deutsch?
Ein bisschen. I understand more than I can speak.

He continued to ask me a few questions - both in German and in English - and I struggled to pull the little bit of German I know from the recesses of my brain. Tom, my co-worker served him his double espresso, while I bagged his oatmeal raisin cookie. The man continued to rattle off several questions to me. He even walked over to my boss and told her that we were speaking German. (More like him speaking, me failing).

Before he left the store he said,

Dankeshön Kirstyn.
Bitteshön.

This simple interaction brought a huge smile to my face. Knowing that I'd now made a connection with one of the regulars. This in and of itself made today's shift a successful one.