Starbucks Encounters

Photo by Shannon Mashek

For the last five years I have been addicted to Starbucks. And I mean the go-there-every-day-sometimes-twice-a-day type of addicted. Their drinks are good, but honestly, it's the entire experience that has me hooked, from the setup of the shops to the people you find in them.

A while ago—maybe a year—I started posting a recurring "column" on Facebook called STARBUCKS ENCOUNTERS in which I describe a quick personal experience or thought of mine had while inside or on my way to Starbucks. People seem to enjoy them, so I thought I'd transfer the series to my website. Here is the latest one, posted this morning:

STARBUCKS ENCOUNTERS: Standing in line I watched a mom walk in with her two small children. The little boy, maybe 2- or 3-years-old, lead the group, running toward the counter with a giant smile on his face. His mom and sister had to yell "We have to wait in line!" to stop him from pushing apart the legs of the adults standing in front of the pastry case. After getting my order, I sat down at a table near the counter and noticed another young boy stepping up to the register with his mom. Before she could order the boy yelled "Mom! I want .... I want CHOCOLATE!" I then noticed the smears of chocolate already running across his cheek. As the first little boy's family collected their drinks, they ran into the second little boy and his mother. One of the boys complimented the other on his backpack, and these two moms decided to sit everyone at the same table and become friends.