2007-06-02

Breakfast of Also-Rans

I went into the "alterna-coffee" place around the corner from my office yesterday morning. Lately I've been making a point to go there, rather than the Starbucks� upstairs, because I've been craving a little LESS structure in my life. The baristas at the 'bucks are unfailingly chipper, the music slightly-left-of-center yet bland enough to raise no fuss from the Symphony Hall matinee crowd, and the decor pleasantly earth-toned. On the other hand, I never quite know what to expect at alterna-coffee. Some of the staff are quite pleasant, some very much give the impression that they would rather be handing change to Idi Amin than li'l old me. The music is brain-scaldingly loud, and usually pretty shitty. But the coffee's not bad, and I'm supporting local business, and I need to inject a little uncertainty into my morning.

And so I was standing in line with my coworker Brett, considering my options, when my gaze fell upon a plate of GIANT CUPCAKES. Yea, giant they were, and frosted, and speckled with multi-colored flecks of waxy sprinkles.

"Holy shit, those look awesome."
"So get one."
"It's nine o'clock in the morning, dude."
"If you want a cupcake for breakfast, you should have a cupcake for breakfast."
"No. That's just wrong. I need to have a....a...breakfasty item." I pondered the case for another second. "What's that muffin there?" I inquired of the surly, sallow barista.
"'sa banana chocolate white chocolate chip...or....sumthin'..."
"Fine. I'll have that." I looked at Brett, who was smirking. "What?"
"You pretty much just ordered a cupcake for breakfast."

lisamcc at 10:26 a.m.

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