but, no, it's a real hole-in-the-wall place, with 10 foot high bookshelves, local artwork to the ceilings, mis-matched furniture, good coffee, yummy food, and a very eclectic group of people. anyway...lane had mentioned to me recently that she might need someone to train who could just be an employee that covered people's shifts, so finally i decided to go to work with her friday morning and train. lane is the cafe manager...and it's very very laid back. so, we got up and opened the shop at 6:30 am (early!) and she showed me until one pm how to run the place. i'm excited, because it was fun, but i'm also nervous a)just because it's a new job, and b)only one person works there at a time, and i just question my coffee-knowledge, and ability to do the job quickly while there is a rush and a line of 8 people deep! i doubt i'll work much anyway, though...which is fine...
i have to admit, i feel pretty cool now, lol, as i can use an espresso machine and can make lattes, chais, mochas, and a darn good foamy double cappuccino! no, it's a fun skill to learn.
the inspiration of this post, however, is not my new semi-job, it is a story from my day of training. we do tend to have a lot of regulars at the novel. and actually, quite a few of them are homeless people. they come to read and eat and hang out. it's a really unique environment. anyway, one man--a homeless man who had never been to the novel--came to the counter asking about the books. the books we have are all donated, and you can come and read while you're there, or you may buy books for cheap prices, around $2/paperback, and maybe $4ish for a hardcover (although, the prices are very flexible, like i said, it's laid back). the man put three books up on the counter, and asked how much they were. lane said "oh, how about three dollars total?" and then man replied with something that really touched me, he said, "oh! they're worth more than that, to me." and, he had an expression on his face that showed he really meant it. just a simple thing, but it was the highlight of my day.
it really made me think...what do we take for granted? what do we value? i'll leave with that.
Very good question...I will think on this one.