belated vd mush
Valentine’s Day got me thinking, along with a p.s. in an email telling me about newly engaged friends (congrats Jeni & Adam!). Eight engagements (that I know of) came outta my old coffee shop, hence the nickname: Love Stop.
It got me pondering relationships — which isn’t that hard since I’m in the most serious one ever in my life — and it got me pondering how that place spawned so many hookups. Save for this last one (two customers connected by friends at the shop), all the others were barista/customer connections.
The most recent was Adam and Jeni, and a year ago it was my friends Heather (barista) and Jason (custy). Before that it was my other friends, Pony (custy) and Kev (barista). Before that, there were two girl co-workers engaged to former customers (married now). And on and on until you get to eight.
I must admit, I fell into that trap of dating customers. More than once. The first at Love Stop (we won’t go into the old shops) was an older dude (12 years? 14? hmm.) who is really funny and cool, but I knew it wasn’t gonna last. At least partially because the guy before him? He was 2 years younger than me. It was classic: find the opposite of what you had.
The next relationship was far more serious, but that little spark had actually started years earlier. That was CSB. I can’t even remember if I wrote about that breakup. It’s kind of a blur now. There was one week that spun me — the relationship ended, I started a new job in a new industry, and I cut my hair off (again) in the span of 5 days. It wasn’t planned that way, it just sort of happened.
But I’m drifting away from what I wanted to talk about/ask. What is the deal with people being attracted to baristas/bartenders/waiters? I know, some places only hire hotties. But that only goes so far. Is it a power thing? How and why have eight marriages been born from a coffee shop?
5 comments bessd | Uncategorized
Yes, yes, yeeeesss. I found my man while working at the Love Stop. We actually just got back from getting coffee right now. I wonder if it wasn’t for coffee if he and I ever would have met. So, I am living in Madison, Wisc. right now (don’t recommend it) and I went to a party last night, met a girl who lives in Seattle, her dad runs the Last White Elephant, and she told me it’s closing! I asked if she knew about the Love Stop. She does. She loves it. I told her if she wanted to stay out of a relationship to NOT work there. It’s so great to see your blog! I’m enjoying it. Hope to see you someday soon!
Sarah Bell! Yes, you are one of the 2 co-workers I mentioned (the other I was thinking about was Chris).
Sad that the L.W.E. is closing. I’m never up in that hood any more, but, damn, I lucked onto some good finds there. And every time I mention Love Stop to people, they know the place.
So cool that you and your sister have blogs! I’ve got ‘em bookmarked now.
that’s a really good question, and one i can’t think of a snarky explanation for. i think a lot of it might have to do with the anticipation? “will he/she be working/come in today?” mutual affection is palpable, and when you’re in a position to perpetuate it, what have you got to lose? it’s like the ‘i saw yous,’ only instead of placing an ad you know exactly where to find the person.
p.s. i like the new layout *way* more than the green one. this is so much more you.
i think you’re right about the server/servee thing being like the ‘i saw yous’ — all the fun anticipation, plus you know for sure that you’ll get some attention (even if they are just paid to be nice).
i’ve kinda always assumed it was a power thing — like, the person in power (behind the counter) is more attractive to you than they normally would be because of their position. but that wouldn’t explain all the successful relationships. hmm…
thanks on the layout tip. i kinda hate the bg color (it doesn’t “go” with anything), but i can change that when i’m not feeling so lazy and uncreative.
[...] successful than any that take place where the beer flows. My friend Bess (and former co-worker) talked about in one of her posts about how eight marriages have formed each involving one employee a…. My sister Sarah is in one of those marriages. I guess it is somewhat easy to form a relationship [...]