Haha. Good. That’s not always an option though. Last time I nearly went off on someone was at a coffee shop where I paid for coffee and a muffin, was treated rudely. They told me they were out of muffins after they sold me one. I said fine I would wait. But then they gave me a caramel macchiato instead of a french vanilla latte as I had requested. So I asked for my latte. He tried to talk me into taking the macchiato so he wouldn’t have to redo it and there was a line forming. But I’m not a fan of caramel. Had it been a mocha macchiato I would have been okay with that. He sighs and starts acting all put out like it’s my fault he can’t remember what he rang up literally 30 seconds ago or read the order screen, written in plain English and everything.

Anyway, muffins were in the oven so I said I’d wait. I did. They said they’d be done in 10 to 15 minutes. Like I said, they were getting busy, so I got a table and drank my latte and waited. After 30+ minutes I went to inquire about my muffin and they had sold them all. What? They forgot about me, and I’m guessing they didn’t make a whole pan.

I sighed, pulled out my receipt and asked for a refund. He said they’d make a other pan in a minute and he’d have to get the manager to perform a refund. I POLITELY responded that I didn’t have any more time to wait and to please do whatever he needed to do to get me a refund. I actually would have been okay with a rain card or an upgrade at that point, but wasn’t offered. Whatever.

Guy steps up to the office door, right by the register, and asks the manager to perform a refund. Manager asks him what the problem is, and I shit you not, he says, "some white bitch making a fuss, man."

And that’s when I nearly lost it and came unglued. But, I didn’t. I kept my cool, barely.

I was a regular customer. Once a week. Part of the bread and butter of that type of business. And that was my treat to myself.

I just bring some of those Keurig latte pods to work now and "buy" some of my colleagues a coffee in the morning before shift starts. So now I’m back to treating other people, which is fine.

But, I need something for me too. Something I can do or get or have that is special and fulfilling to me, just for me without being railroaded, maligned, heckled, pecked, harassed, guilted, mocked, or shamed for it. We all need that, to be treated from time to time. And you’re right about being a mom. Since I’ve been a mom, I’ve forgotten what that’s like because it’s been that long.