Friday, April 24, 2009

Caution... In Training.


Hubby and I were doing our usual mad-dash errand running after work last night, when I decided that I just HAD to have my Tim Hortons coffee fix. The line up was only 2 cars long so I figured we should be able to make it through drive through, and still be on track to run out to the local WalMart and still make our movie on time. We pull up to the speaker. I order 1 large coffee with 2milk and 2 sugar (god I miss those french vanilla cappuccinos..).

I began to get suspicious when the car in front of us shut off his engine. Why would someone need to shut off their engine to be in line for 30 seconds to get a coffee? Maybe he was trying to prevent global warming by decreasing his vehicle emissions? Weird. We put the car in park and waited.

About 3 minutes went by and still nothing had come out of the window... what was this guy ordering? A full course meal? What a jerk to make a huge order in drive-thru. I mean, there are no rules limiting your order, but it's just plain rude to hold everyone up when you could go inside and with your larger orders. Someone else has now pulled in behind us effectively trapping us in the line-up until we can exit after receiving our order.

Finally she hands him one medium coffee and hubby and I sigh in relief. Awesome. He's got what he needed, and now it should be our turn. 10 seconds later he hands the coffee back through the window.... what? What's going on? After all that time they didn't even give him what he ordered? Wow. Coffee is what this place does. How could they screw that up? 2 minutes later she hands him a large coffee, and he spins out of the parking lot in a hurry. Well, there goes one dissatisfied customer.

YAY, it's our turn! My mouth starts to water in anticipation of the bitter-sweet richness that is my obsession. Just thinking about the dark, smooth aroma instantly lifts my spirits. We pull up the window and the girl stares at us blankly like she has no idea why we would possibly looking at her expectantly. I read her name tag... it says "In Training". Ohh. Well, that explains the speed problem. No worries, people have to learn sometime right? My irritation evaporates and I smile at her through the window. She is still staring blankly. Finally hubby knocks on the window and she opens it...

Hubby: Um... do you want our money now?
Trainee: Sure. Thanks.

Said trainee takes the money and turns back to the counter. We can see that she is not putting the money in the register, but instead carrying it around in her hand. She is standing there staring at nothing, and after a few minutes turns back to look at us as if wondering why we are still there... I speak up:

Me: Um, my coffee?
Trainee: Oh. Sure.

She pops out of sight for a moment and comes back with a large cup.

Me: 2Milk 2Sugar?
Trainee: No. 2Milk 2Sweetener.

She moves to hand hubby the cup.

Me: May I have one with sugar please? I don't like sweetener.

By now we have been in the drive-thru for a total of 10 minutes and hubby is VERY impatient with me, the poor girl, and the entire world in general. We are running behind schedule and hubby hates being late... (Aside... I am late for EVERYTHING.... so this really doesn't shock me at all).

The trainee hands me a new coffee and we drive away. She never did give us our change... good thing I didn't give her a twenty. Hubby is muttering under his breath and driving like the world will end if we don't get out of the parking lot ASAP.

I open my cup, mouth watering. It was worth the wait, I think. I take my first sip and almost spit it all over the windshield. By now I am laughing hysterically, as if this is the most hilarious event ever.

Hubby: What now?
Me: Um. Well.... she got the 2milk 2sugar thing perfect.
Hubby: Good. So you got what you wanted then...
Me: Not exactly... I'm afraid that she's given me tea.

Hubby threatens to turn the car around.

Me: No, No, No. Tea is just fine. Lets go!

I can see the irritation is making Hubby's eye twitch. I try to sooth him by telling him about the lovely flavour of my steeped tea, (Incidentally.. I hate tea). It works and soon he is laughing too. We are both wondering where all the other employees were. Tim Hortons is usually run by a small army of workers to ensure super fast service and accuracy. They are considered to have one of the most efficient management systems in Canada. Who leaves a trainee alone to deal with drive-thru? Maybe no one else showed up?

We go and do our shopping, and drive by the same Tim Hortons on our way to the movie... which we are now late for. Cars are lined up around the parking lot and nothing is moving. It occurs to me at this point that Tim Hortons should probably consider putting up a sign at the entrance to the drive through that says: "Caution.... drive-thru attendant in training"... but then I changed my mind. It would completely take the mystery out of life.


Edit: We were mentioned on post of the day! Please go and check out David's work on autorblog if you have a moment! Thanks again David!

14 comments:

Jinksy said...

Now that's what I call living dangerously - tea instead of coffee - wow...

Jewels said...

lol. Tea is like mud in a cup. I can't seem to develop a liking for the flavour.

Annie said...

Oi! Sounds like a not-so-fun start to an evening out. Yet you wrote about it so well :)

Muthering Heights said...

LOL, it sounds like she won't be there very long!!

Carolynn Anctil said...

Oh, I feel for you. I hate to tell you this, but I'm sipping my particular drug of choice as I read this...a Starbucks Mocha Frapp. With Whip. :o))

I don't mind tea, but when my mouth is all ready for the coffee flavour, there is no substitute.

Poor girl...maybe she was actually a lookout and all the other employees were bound and gagged in the back room. :o)

Sorry...I've had caffeine.

Thanks for popping in to say hi over at my place today. How's the cleaning going, btw....?

Carolynn

Dughallmor Beagles said...

Hahaha....mud in a cup! I wouldn't go that far but my passion is also for coffee...and I drink way too much of it! Glad the irritation wore off :D
The staff at our McD's drive thru should wear badges saying "Fast food? My arse!" We always have to park and wait for a cheeseburger!

As for your Tellytubbies question....I don't know if it's still on....I think so. My son, who is now almost 12 used to love it...have you seen the episode with the scary lion and the brown fuzzy bear? It's awesome.
Somewhere down near Glasgow there is a huge meatal speaker type thingy just like the Tellytubbies have....I must get a photo next time we're down that way. I've no idea what it's for but it makes me giggle every time we drive past it :D
I hope you enjoyed that bedtime story!
Have a great weekend :o)

david mcmahon said...

Seriously, you could have come all the way to my place for tea and it would have been quicker.

Loved your comment about the kookaburra song. My kids know it well.

I actually posted shots of a gum tree in full bloom just after our trip to the west coast.

Shrinky said...

You have to laugh, don't you? (Beats crying.) I love your writing style, it's relaxed, funny and intimate. More please!

Jerry K said...

Personally, I prefer a half-caf, low-fat, vanilla bean capuccino, two milks, three sugars, with a shot of espresson and Fruity Cheerios on the side.

http://funwithchickens.blogspot.com/

Sniffles and Smiles said...

LOL! So very, very funny!!! Good for you to see the humor, and keep a positive attitude!!! Congrats on POTD! Very well-written! Love this!

Jewels said...

Thanks for all the lovely comments!

Carolynn - Cleaning is going how it usually is.... very slowly!!! The weather is so beautiful, I can't bear to stay inside! NEVER apologize for caffine. I attribute my entire sense of humor to that jump-start every morning.

Dughallmor - I have no kids to blame watching the telletubbies on... it was all the rage here a while back and I am freely admitting to watching it because I thought it was hysterical!

Jerry - My kind of breakfast!

David - Thanks again for the link!

Anonymous said...

Glad I found your blog through David's. Fun post, and real life :)!

Cheffie-Mom said...

Great post! Congrats on the Post of the Day Award from authorblog!

Carolina said...

hehehe

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