How to Foam

When I came back to working Starbucks a second time I actually just walked in and started working, it was funny how my dear friend and old boss hired me on the spot when she asked me if I wanted to start working there again. I had been lucky enough to join her working team at the very beginning of the store's new location. So when I came back it was very simple, I started up again as an already educated barista. My first supervisor Tina was bewildered to have me just show up for a shift, she worried out loud on what to do with training me as she ran through the training books and then I explained how I already knew these beginning things. She was so happy to watch me start working like no time had been skipped on the job. All the while I was trying not to just step in as if I owned the place at the same time. I usually only told the co-workers I trusted about having been there before....There was a strong feeling of hostility from some people already working there. All I wanted to do was make coffee, laugh as I work and visit with the usual friendly customers. This time around I wanted my coffee job to be for FUN, I had learned from my first time through that climbing "the corporate latter" was NOT for me. It was funny at times to see the surprise looks on my fellow co-workers faces as I jabbered on about all the different coffee beans we sold in the shop to questioning customers. I would usually shrug hoping to work under the radar, avoiding the more aggressive personalities surrounding me. It really surprised me when a grown woman who worked there in those first scheduled shifts I had compared herself to me all the time. Now I was ready for the younger people to compete with me but I was not ready for an older woman, even as she was a mother. She clearly did NOT like me, so We ended up working in opposite parts of the store away from each other because her contest competition was getting on my nerves. Shortly after getting back into Starbucks, the company closed ALL the stores nationally for a meeting on how to get back to good foam and the basics in coffee creations. Not only was it mandatory for everyone to be there for the meeting but we had to be tested on all our skills. The aggressive older woman with her beautiful dark curly hair and bright perfect make up seemed to wiggle herself in next to me everywhere I stood. I could over hear her saying "Well Debby just started last week...in fact she got MY ideal hours in the schedule this week. Anyway, I SHOULD be able to foam better then her. I am not worried." I nodded willingly with a big smile towards all who she was talking to, It was almost impossible to convey over and over again that I WAS NOT out to get any of their jobs....It seemed like a difficult start back into the coffee shop, but when my boss would give me a high five I knew it will get better if I keep at it. Working for a company like Starbucks that lets ya just be yourself behind the register, while work hard and laugh long was a perk to working there again. It was half way through the coffee making testing during that meeting that I decided to "play dumb" when the glares from a few started making my skin crawl. I pulled perfect espresso shots with the 3 colors in the shot glasses, foamed in my first try a standard cappuccino and knew what different countries of coffee beans were in anniversary blend that year. It was like I fell backwards into getting it all right during the meeting, only by the looks I got from behind our boss's back did I suddenly realize I needed to make a "mistake" or just play "dumb". I truly loved foaming milk, creating a silky smooth look made me so proud! When the competitive lady elbowed me over as she quickly started foaming her own pitcher of milk right after mine, I gave her encouragement comments then hung back against the wall wishing, hoping she did better then me but after her 4th try she was sooooo mad! Everyone began to loose interest in her re-tries as she spatted out "I KNOW how to foam milk!! I DO and it's just because I'm trying so hard that's all, Debby went first so she got to do it without any pressure!" I stayed against the wall wishing I was back walking in the park like earlier that morning. I am never going to understand why women compete with each other so much. Yet that meeting on how to foam stayed with me a long time, because I asked myself how can make myself less of a threat and more of a good trusted friend? Approachability is like foaming milk, if you rush forth to create a friendship chances are it will just bubble over or burn out....As I moved the milk pitcher slowly and calmly in the steaming wand the quality is carefully enriched, both sweet and smooth, much like taking the time to get to know someone as a friend.