The coolest man on Earth.
This will probably make sense to only Jill and Steve, but everyone can read and enjoy...
As everyone knows, I spend way too much time at work. And sometimes, even though its my job to be all super smiley and pleasant, I just have trouble mustering the energy. Today I worked a shift for Jill, so she could walk for hunger (or stroll leisurely for hunger, as I imagine Jill would do). And I love helping out my friends, and Jill even gave me a MUG award (stands for “Moves of Uncommon Greatness” for all you non-baristas… so cheesy) for helping her out, but after a frustrating night before, I just was feeling so unmotivated. But soon, all that changed.
For I was to work with one of my favorite coworkers - Felix. For all of those poor unfortunate souls who have not met or heard me talk about Felix, I shall describe him for you.
Felix is a 52 year old man with gray hair that makes him look a lot older, yet has more spirit and energy than people half his age. He is blind in one eye, and one of them points off to the side. I never know which one is the blind one, so I never know if he’s looking directly at me, or just is one of those people who stares over your shoulder all the time. I heard that his blind eye is glass because he lost it in some accident, but I have never had the nerve to ask him about it directly. As everyone also knows, I am deaf in one ear, so he always jokes that when we work together, its like having a complete partner.
He has a day job at a travel agency or something, and I’m not quite sure what he does, but he works at Starbucks a few nights a week and every Sunday to earn some extra money to help his daughters through college. He’s divorced and has 3 daughters who he can’t stop talking about. His oldest daughter goes to UVM and he recently went to visit her and sent us postcards with cows on them, on the back was the message “This cow only gives whole milk.” It was funny, and very random.
So I go into work today and everyone seemed so happy to see me. Felix, even though he was sick with a cold, gave me the biggest smile when I came in, saying “Oh, Allie, I see you’re coming in to pick up my slack.” Which is kind of an inside joke because he always, without fail, will go behind my back and do my cleaning for me when he gets the chance because he says “You must be tired from school, let me help you.” Even though the man works 2 jobs and has a hour+ commute every day.
The absolute funniest thing about Felix is his music. He always makes these mix CDs to play at work which range from Eminem to Ella Fitzgerald to Nine Inch Nails to Boyz to Men. He once made a CD which he called his “coffee songs.” All of the songs had coffee in the title. When I came across the song “Coffee Shop” by the Kottonmouth Kings, I was like “Felix, somehow I don’t think they’re talking about the kind of coffee we serve…” He just winked at me and said “Allie, I have no idea what you’re talking about. The man just loves the relaxing caffeine!”
His favorite CD though is one that has lots of those early nineties R&B ballads on it like “I’ll Make Love to You” and “Back at One” and “On Bended Knee.” He always sings these songs very loudly and unabashedly. It’s pretty amazing, because he seems to have no knowledge of how uncool the songs are, which just makes them instantly awesome again. Or when “Lady Marmalade” comes on, and he sings the French part and when I blush he eggs me on saying “Allie, I don’t know French, what does this mean?”
Tonight though we played our song, “Sloop John B” by the Beach Boys because one time I put it on and he started screaming out the chorus ‘I want to go home!” The guys in the stand across the way were cheering in agreement. We just kept hitting repeat and laughing.
It’s just awesome how there is this guy that exists, who doesn’t give a crap what anybody thinks of him. He’s the only old guy who works there, but you barely notice because he’s so much fun, and so weird you wonder “How do I know him?” On the way back to the train, we got to talking, as we usually do and he was asking me about my new apartment and my breaking up with Jonas and school and just life. He told me about how he screwed up the early parts of his life with bad choices, and he was like “You are so wonderful, Allie. You have everything going for you.” It was just great to hear that from someone, and so nice to talk to an adult about life, trading experiences and thoughts as equals.
I just think of what an amazing person this guy is… giving everything he has to his daughters and to others. He bought me a Christmas present - mini M&Ms! - saying to all the girls at Fanueil Hall saying how lovely we were. He donates all of his tips during the holidays to buy gifts for needy children. Starbucks seems like an odd place to meet such an amazing man, but I did.
I just feel really lucky I guess, because no matter what, he makes my day, everytime.