[Video]

[seawalled]

[when Ellie turns on the feed, she is clearly in the back alley of a Starbucks. broken-down cardboard boxes stamped with that infamous logo are piled up nearby, and she's holding a half-empty packet of madeleines, gesturing with it as she holds the phone in the other.

there is foamed milk all over her apron, and traces of it in her hair like soap suds. maybe that's why she's so worked up. and yes, she may be talking with her mouth just a bit full. like you've never stress eaten!]

Can someone tell me where people leave their bloody decency before they walk out the door in the mornings here? You know, I made it through the hols just fine, but today some woman who couldn't be arsed to take her Bluetooth out of her ear long enough to answer me when I wanted to clarify her order threw her bloody oat-milk latte in my face.

This is a decent enough temp job and I make a mint in tips, but I'm really, really ready to find a desk job. Anyone hear of anything through the grapevine? Indeed and this bloke Craig and his list aren't turning up much.

Comments

Audio

[serpentinthegarden]

What did this lady look like?

[seawalled]

One've the other baristas called her "a total Karen", whatever that means. Especially since the name she wanted on the cup was "Rebecca". ... You're not going to honestly hunt this woman down and do something .... what, demonic?

[serpentinthegarden]

Karen-Rebecca, got it.

[ Now all that was left was to track this one lady down in all of New York. Which would not as difficult as one might imagine... Humans formed patterns and she likely went to that same coffee shop every day at around the same time. He would just have to do a little steak out... What?

Anthony shrugged at the screen. ]

Why not? She earned it. Its not like you asked to go swimming in... wazzthat? Oat milk latte?? Who even orders that stuff?

[seawalled]

More people than you'd think, and I don't understand why. It tastes terrible, I tried it when they got it in. Like someone put cardboard in a blender and added ... pasta water or something. Gluey.

But really, Ant'ny, I appreciate how much you care, but is it really worth it? You showing off in public and maybe getting in some kind of trouble? I know your answer already. Ugh, why am I even trying? Some days you're as bad as Alec.

[serpentinthegarden]

I've avoided trying anything that looks like soured milk.

And I never said I would get caught. I'd just give her a taste of her own medicine, buy one of those cardboard smoothie things and dump it over her head. Payback doesn't have to be fancy.

[seawalled]

That's an excellent policy, and I think I'm going to have to adapt it for myself.

[oh. oh, that does sound like it'd be so very gratifying]

... Only if I get to watch.

[serpentinthegarden]

[ There's his cousin! He knew you had a wicked streak in there some where! ]

You can have front row seats!

[seawalled]

Lovely. I'll have to bundle up and wear a scarf so she doesn't recognize me, though ... I've got tomorrow off, we could do it then.

[serpentinthegarden]

I've got some spare shades.

[ Just to complete the disguise. ]

This will be fun! Um... you might not want to tell Alec about it though. He overreacts to these things.

[seawalled]

Well, considering how much Alec doesn't tell me, I've probably earned one or two of my own.

[serpentinthegarden]

Exactly! What's the world coming to when you can't keep a few secrets from family!

[seawalled]

Well, harmless ones. The problem with Alec is he doesn't see the divide.

[nor does SOMEONE ELSE but that's a conversation that hasn't happened yet, and this current one may come back to bite him in the tail if he's not careful]

[serpentinthegarden]

All secrets are harmless as long as they remain secret!

[ Problems arise when they don't! ]

[seawalled]

I'd think that really depends on the nature of the secret, dear.