Choked by the bitterness of my disappointment

You hear quite a bit of anti-Starbucks rhetoric on the Interwebs. Corporate giant that destroys the fabric of small business- terrible coffee, hipster staff, and on and on. It seems to be one of those places you either love or hate.

For me Starbucks is a home away from home- a lovely place to enjoy a cup of coffee, a book and some quiet time until I have to be somewhere else.

Not to say I don't expect a certain amount of noise and distribance from the other customers. It's a public place, not the library for crying out loud. Although I have to say, I never quite understood that phrase. The library is the nosiest, most disruptive places on earth. All that making out, and porn and shaving each other's body hair in the bathroom. A virtual cornucopia of humanity at it's finest.

However Starbucks-a nice, relaxing place, Comfie furniture, soothing music, caffeine. Sort of what I imagine Heaven to look like.

So imagine how utterly pissed off I must have been the other day for the disruption in my beloved home away from home.

SuperGirl and I  were about 45 minutes early for a doctor’s appointment. Oh look a place to chat and enjoy a nice cinnamon dolce latte. Imagine my consternation then to find an employee and manager meeting happening not but two tables away. As I sipped my coffee and tried to pry into my daughter's life, talk  I was constantly interrupted by the management team reprimanding one of their employees in what was obviously an incredibly private meeting – HELD ON THE FLOOR IN FRONT OF ALL THE CUSTOMERS.

I looked at SuperGirl incredulously- really, making your employee cry in front of the whole store? Really? Don't you people have a break-room? She looked back at me, uncomfortable and squirmed in her seat a bit.

Most frustrating- the management team- not young, inexperienced kids like you'd imagine but older, professionally dressed women, the store and regional manager. Yes- I asked the counter staff.

I listened for a moment as the young employee stammered through her tears. She carefully explained- she'd asked for a transfer. How desperately she was trying to meet all her obligations. How she tried to schedule doctor's appointments around her work schedule.

 I could almost take it no longer. It was all I could do to contain myself. I knew not to say anything to the women seated around the table. I knew if I allowed myself to open my mouth I would have started with Who the hell do you think you are...to...Most unprofessional behavior I've ever seen...to ... how dare you...to ... You never, ever reprimand an employee in front of customers let alone other employees and much, much, much more. Plus a touch of how dare you air that woman's personal life in front of God and everyone?

But I didn't.  I refrained.

Because really, what good would it have done? Even had I stayed calm, quiet and collected, communicated my disapproval eloquently, that woman, that manager- she would have never gotten it. She would have never understood- her behavior, it was wrong.

You don't treat people that way. Even if they work for you.

Starbucks- I expect better from you.

Choked by the bitterness of my disappointment