Except for the blind date and a rush from 8:01 p.m. to 8:09 p.m. when the Narcotics Anonymous crew ran in for a quickie, the store has been dead, dead, dead all night.
The customer part that is. Not the baristas. They have been unpacking signage, moving displays around, drawing new chalkboards and other stuff.
I even got the chance to sample some of the new pastries - go for the mini peanut butter cupcakes or the Rocky Road Cake Lollipops. I also had some sort of pretzel thing; I wasn't impressed.
Unfortunately, watching the baristas build displays, draw on chalkboards and order pizza is not exactly scintillating material.
After I type up the "Bad Date" post, I sit and browse the Internet for about an hour. I wait for something to happen. I wait for interesting customers to come in. I watch the baristas do their thing. I kibbitz. I get another iced venti marble mocha macchiatto.
The place is dead. Like Charlie Sheen's immediate future in Hollywood dead. The only person that comes in after 8:45 p.m. is the cougar who regularly flirts with the two eligible males who work at night. Even she's pretty quiet tonight.
I wait for something to happen.
Nothing does.
I surf the Internet some more.
I wait for something to happen.
Nothing does.
Inspiration strikes.
There's a certain efficiency and camaraderie in the way the crew works toward the launch of their new product. In some way, the empty store is a bonus, because materials for the launch spread over two, then four, then five tables, then more and more floor acreage. Posters, displays, chalk markers, cups, banners and more - all in green, silver and black - bearing the new Starbucks Siren and branding for Tribute Blend coffee litter the store.
I score a souvenir - one of the posters from the Pike Place Roast display - ironic since I don't drink drip coffee at all.
Pizza is ordered. Pizza arrives. Pizza is consumed. It amuses me that the baristas crack open a two-liter of Coca-Cola.
Red Bull is consumed as well - ironic in a store that is literally a temple built and devoted to the consumption of caffeine. They probably despise coffee after seeing it and smelling it so much.
There are five baristas here now. They compare their favorites among the new "Cake Pops" - which I predict will be hot sellers. There's apparently one in a tiramisù flavor - which I didn't get to sample.
The unity of purpose is astounding. Everyone is laughing, joking and having a grand time - even though there's obviously a ton of work to be done. It all happens somehow.
There's even some - a minute amount - of drama when a rush happens at 9:52 p.m. One 50-something old guy comes in, orders a venti chocolate chip frappuccino and a water (it will not keep the adult onset diabets at bay dude) - then proceeds to sit down and start playing a first-person shooter on his computer. The addiction must be STRONG in this one.
Another crew comes in for a big take-out order - they leave with a tray and a half of drip coffee's and frappuccinos. Two more oldsters and a cop sneak in for a last-second coffee run.
The busyness and the sense of purpose - and the fun - made for a fun evening. Even though I did nothing but watch (and sample) I felt like I was a tiny part of something.
And I realize that even though nothing happened, something did happen.
So that's my story for tonight - a variation on that old saw "Life is what happens when you're making other plans" - "Good times are what happens when you're searching for Starbucks Drama.
Thank you again to all the Kindle subscribers and Facebook fans.
If you're so inclined, you can go online to the Starbucks Drama page on Amazon.com and leave a review http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0034KYYBE
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