why starbucks is king of the coffeehouses

when you're in the midst of a bad morning, it's hard to think of anything, or anyone else. i'm sure in the my future parent life, i'll have countless more mornings like i did this morning. although, this is little consolation when the baby is screaming, (and, mind you, has been up all night, leaving me exhausted and sleep deprived), you're late for his doctor's visit, and you're cleaning dog puke off the carpet. that was just a taste of my morning mayhem...that was exactly the point when i was two seconds away from calling my husband and telling him that if he didn't come home at that very minute that i was going to put the baby and the dog in the pack and play and let them go at it in a mad max style cagefight.
but, i took a few deep breaths, (was quietly thankful i only had one child, and he wasn't quite mobile yet), loaded my child into the car (in the pouring rain) and headed off to the doctor. finally finding a parking spot, i loaded my child out of the car (in the pouring rain without umbrella) and trucked into the office, (soaking wet) where i was told that his appointment wasn't until 2:30pm, not at 11am, like i had thought.
holding back a little bitty tear in my throat, i did some more deep breathing, smiled at the receptionist and gave a chipper "i guess we'll be back". back out into the rain, i saw the starbucks just next door as a quick spot to get dry. so, i went in, knowing full well, that there is a big independent coffee house just across the street. but, let me tell you why i went into the starbucks and not the coffee house across the street. because, when you're having a bad morning, it's hard to think of anything or anyone else but yourself.
each and every time i've been into a starbucks (while i've had some damn disgusting coffee), i've never had to deal with attitude from the 'baristas'. not once. each and every time i go into previously mentioned coffee house across the street from the starbucks, i am met with such completely annoying, 'i'm cooler than you, get out of my face, what do you think i actually want to serve you?!,' attitude that if they served a hit of ecstasy with every cup i would still leave with a frown on my face, disgusted with the rest of the world.
i love supporting locally owned, independent businesses. really, i do. i've gone out of my way many times to order things from some of the local businesses that i could have just gone to megastore and bought off the shelf. i hate the fact that there is a starbucks on every corner of the planet. think globally, buy locally...hippie bumper sticker or not, it's a good way to be. BUT, the independent coffee house counter help attitude has got to GO. just a little back story, i worked at one of these places...in fact, where i worked, i actually could have had reason to have an attitude..it was a teahouse in harvard square...we only served tea and scones (no coffee, no cappuccino, no latte, just honest to god slowly brewed whole leaf tea), if anyone could have been snotty about what they were serving, it was me. but, the only time i ever gave anyone an attitude was when they hit me with one first. and even then, i found that it made them much more angry to be overly bubbly and nice to them.

to finish, i went into the starbucks to get out of the rain, i was met with a smile from the girl at the counter and a very friendly attitude. i ordered something very sweet and creamy and over the top (pumpkin spice latte decaf). i even ordered a 'small', and she still smiled (for those of you under rocks, the lingo for small in starbucksland is 'grahnd-ay'). she was so pleasant that i immediately felt better about things, i went and sat down in a big plush leather chair, and harlan was being adorable and quiet. i was warm, and dry and about the have a serious sugar buzz...things were looking up, i can do this.
and that is why starbucks is king of the coffeehouses.