It was just an average day at work. Make coffee, smile at customers. Talk shit about customers with my coworkers once they leave. I work at Starbucks, and I swear people could not be more difficult if they tried. They will have you remake their drink eight times. Which you have to do with a smile on your face. I always joke with my coworkers that we are all so good at our jobs because we are great at apologizing for things that aren't our fault.
What's worse than the difficult people with the overly complicated drink orders are the men who think your customer service smile is really just a come on in disguise. I've had more gross men call me 'hun' and 'doll' than I can just about stand. One time someone asked me if I would go on a date with their son who they were on the phone with.
If I ever wear a v neck shirt I will catch men trying to sneak a peek at my chest while I bend over to grind coffee beans or steam milk for a latte. I have a slightly bigger chest than average, with my 34DDs bringing me a little more attention than I like. I have long brown hair that I keep in a french braid down my back. I also have pale skin, bright blue eyes, and freckles that always make people comment about how irish I look when I work on the register.
I also catch men staring at my name tag just a little too long, even though I wrote Elisabeth in big, bold letters to avoid this very thing.
The worst of all the creeps is Matt. He comes in every single morning. He mobile orders his drink, but still make a point of stopping and talking to me as if we're friends. It's the little things that skeeve me out. Sometimes he asks me to hand him a tray or a bag and I can just feel him watching me as I bend down. Then his hand lingers on mine as I hand him whatever he's asked for. He is also the only one in my life who has ever called me 'Lizzie', as if we're close friends.
This morning when he came in, I very purposefully made my way to the back to stock some cups. I took my time, thinking that if he didn't see me, he would grab his coffee and go. When I walked back to the counter, I found out I wasn't that lucky. He had been hanging back just far enough that no one else could help him without shouting across the cafe, but immediately came up to the register when he saw me.
I should say that, if Matt was not such a fucking perv, I would think he was hot. He was a little over six feet tall, tan, with short brown hair, and fit. He had a straight, white, and very cocky smile.
As he walked up to me, he gave me that over confident smile and I saw his eyes drift up and down my body. I resisted the urge to shudder visibly.
"Hey, Lizzie, how are we doing this morning?" He said long and slow, stretching the words out.
"I'm fine, Matt. Can I get you anything?" I said, trying to keep my voice polite, but not overly perky or upbeat.
"I was wondering, how about you let me take you out tonight? I'll show a real good time," he said in such a confident tone that I'm sure he thought I would say yes, no question. As if I were expecting his advances.
"I'm flattered Matt, but I actually have a boyfriend," this was a lie, but I didn't see an easier way to let him down, especially if was going to keep coming in every day.
"I've never heard you mention a boyfriend before," he said this with narrowed eyes that made him look a little scary.
"Well . . . I just try to keep my private life private, you know?" I stuttered through this a bit, but I thought that was a reasonable explanation.
"Of course. Well, have a good one." He said this calmly and started to leave.
I walked over to my friend Lindsey who had been watching this interaction from the sidelines.
"Ugh, that was gross," she said, knowing how uncomfortable he made me.
"I know, what a creep."
The next day, I was working a closing shift instead of my normal morning shift. The guy who normally closed was going to a concert that night and had asked me to switch with him. I was actually pretty grateful because it meant I wouldn't have to see Matt that day.
It ended up being a pretty slow night. We were able to get almost all the cleaning and deposits done early, so I let the other girl working with me go home while I finished everything up. We closed at 9, but we always stayed until 9:30 to get everything ready for the next day. It didn't feel like a two person job, and I didn't mind locking up alone.
I set everything up for the morning and went to the side door to lock up and head out to my car. Right as I opened it, I felt a hand push me back into the store. I stumbled back, shocked and scared, and looked up to see Matt staring back at me.
"Hey, Lizzie, I figured since you apparently already think I'm a creep, I had nothing to lose in coming by tonight." His eyes looked black and he was wearing that same cocky smile.
"M-Matt, look, I'm sorry I turned you down, but if you leave right now, I won't call the cops"
