What if we all let our inner-happy loose?

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There’s a Caribou Coffee shop right outside the lobby of the building where I work. It’s a great place to get your five-dollar a day caffeine fix. I like the white chocolate mochas and the hazelnut lattes.

I wouldn’t say I’m an everyday regular at Caribou, but I go there often enough that I’m probably a somewhat familiar face.

There’s a woman who works at this shop and she’s always on staff during the early shift when I arrive downtown. She always runs the cash register while another girl prepares the coffee drinks. There’s something I’ve noticed about the woman who runs the register. She’s very pretty, but she looks like she has a hard time relaxing. Her face is kind of… tight. When I decide to stop in for a cup of coffee, it’s not uncommon to see her conversing with customers she obviously knows on a somewhat personal level. With these people she chats comfortably and even smiles on occasion, but when it’s my turn to step up to the register and place my order, the smile literally falls off her face and she becomes very sober. I’m sure I’m not the only customer to whom she reacts this way. (Gosh, I hope it’s not just me!) It’s very uncomfortable to say the least. I try not to take it personally and try to give her my order in the friendliest way I know how. I always tell her to have a good day and she replies, “Thanks. You too.” She’s not rude but she always leaves me wondering if she doesn’t like me, in particular, for some reason. What explains the friendly, relaxed attitude with some customers and not others?

Now, the difference between this woman and another employee at the coffee shop is like night and day. When I see this other employee working, it is very likely that I will decide I need a cup of coffee just to have a chance to exchange a few words with him. I don’t know his name, but he’s got an inner-happy that’s nothing short of contagious. He marches to the beat of a different drum, but he does it with confidence.  He’s a young guy of maybe twenty-five years old and from the looks of him, I’d venture to say that he probably didn’t enjoy his high school days. You see, his mannerisms and way of speaking are very effeminate. (Think Clinton Kelly of What Not to Wear.) His hair is bleached platinum blonde and is styled in that sloppy yet stylish way that only the very young can pull off. He almost always wears a pink shirt, swings his hips when he walks and is always waving his hands in the air for emphasis. All it takes is one look at this guy to know that the jocks in high school gave him hell.

But despite what I imagine his younger years to have been, this guy’s personality is unstoppable. He’s like a human popcorn popper, always bouncing around a talking a mile a minute. And he NEVER stops smiling. He makes every customer feel welcome and almost before the next person steps forward he begins to show that person how important they are. He flashes a big grin and asks how they are doing. He doesn’t just ask what they would like to order. He asks, “And what can I get for you today?” He always agrees that whatever has been ordered is a spectacular choice. While he rings up the sale, he finds a way to compliment his customer in some way. Whether he notices an item of clothing, a particular piece of jewelry or a hairstyle, he makes his customers feel that they are not just another customer but someone special.

Once when I showed up wearing my wrist brace, he very worriedly asked me what I had done. I was embarrassed, telling him it was nothing; just some Carpal Tunnel symptoms flaring up. He expressed such sympathy and told me to be sure to take it easy so that I didn’t make things worse.

Normally, this guy isn’t on staff during the early shift, but a couple of weeks ago when I was just arriving at work, I noticed that he happened to be in that morning. I made a quick turn and placed my order for a Wild Pumpkin latte, a seasonal special, with the somber woman at the register. I then made my way to the end of the counter to await my drink. My favorite, friendly Caribou employee was making the drinks that day instead of manning his usual position at the register. As I stood waiting in my early morning stupor, I realized he had asked me a question but I hadn’t quite realized it in time.

“Pardon me,” I asked?

He repeated, “Did you want an extra shot of espresso today?” He added something about there being enough espresso for two drinks but since my order was the only one, he would add an extra shot at no charge.

“Sure,” I responded! I was very pleasantly surprised and he talked on about this being a great way to kick-start my day and how I wouldn’t know what to do with all the extra energy I would soon have. I could feel myself absorbing his enthusiasm and no longer felt as if I were just going through the motions of another day. He finished preparing my drink and handed it to me with flourish.

“There you go, sweetheart! You have yourself a GREAT day!”

I thanked him and wished him the same, heading off to work feeling almost exuberant. The fact that such a common, everyday transaction could have such a profound impact was not lost on me. How many of us, if we found ourselves in the position of working in a coffee shop, would consider ourselves above such a position, merely passing our time until something better comes along? Not this guy. He makes the most of every minute and every encounter. After the last time I talked with him, I found myself wishing I had the confidence to have that kind of affect on others. I wanted to be the difference between someone else having a mundane day and an extraordinary day, just by choosing the right words and appreciating that very moment. I want to be able to set someone else on a positive path simply by taking a few moments to be unselfish.

Wouldn’t this world be an amazing place if we could all find our inner-happy and set it loose on everyone around us? Think about it…

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