Working at Munchers Bakery in Lawrence, Kansas, I see a lot of interesting people: travelers, regulars, families, friends, strange folk. When I get the chance I try to ask them two questions: "How was your morning?" and "What are you doing today?" Here were some of my favorite customers from the weekend of March 3:
The Lacrosse Mom: She was bundled up in a large coat. Later that day she would go to a lacrosse game—outside in the cold.
The Road-Trippers: They were college students, dressed in Jayhawks gear, on their way to Stillwater, Okla. to see the basketball game against Oklahoma State University. “We have two hours of sleep,” one said. “So we will see how this goes.”
The Hallmark: She worked at Hallmark. I asked her how long she had been working there. “Not long,” she said. “Like, 41 years.”
The Full-Timer: He worked at the post office as a delivery man, but recently he had got full-time status. The donuts were just to celebrate.
The Morning Person: During the week he gets up at 4 a.m. to work for a tire distributor. I asked him if he liked mornings and he leaned closer. “Not when I’m hungover,” he said and winked. “Don’t tell.”
The Tipper: One of our regulars. She always gets a plain glazed donut and a chocolate brownie, a less than $2 order. She slipped a $5 bill into the tip jar. “You are too kind,” I said. She smiled at me. “You guys deserve six times that,” she said.
The Handyman: He was a college student about to go into work at the local hardware store. It was a pretty convenient job for him since he studies architecture.
The Fashionable: Rainbow splatter pants and a bright orange suit adorned the tall man. He wears the outfit while bowling.
The Editor: He asked me what I was doing later today and I told him that I was taking pictures for class. His eyes lit up. Before retirement, he worked as a magazine editor for many years. He wished me luck.
The Officer: Police officers normally come in a little after the night shift ends. Today the officer was alone so I took the time to ask him how weather affects crime. “It changes the location of the crime,” he said. “People go stir crazy in their homes.”
The Sacrificing: One of our regulars gets four mini orange rolls every week she comes in and she gives them up for every year for Lent. I will miss seeing her these next six weeks.
The Arizonian: Her mom was sick and she had traveled from Arizona to take care of her. “I deserve these donuts,” the woman said. “It’s my first time driving in the snow in 20 years.”
The Gym Rat: Every weekend she comes in after going to the gym. The donuts are her treat.
The Soon-to-be-teacher: I asked him what he was studying and he told me education. He wants to teach middle schoolers. I made a face at that. “They’re all just in the transition of life,” he said. Aren’t we all.
The National Park Visitors: He wore a “Glacier National Park” hat and I asked him if that was his favorite national park. “I can’t pick favorites,” he said. “You got the mountains and the deserts and the oceans. You can’t pick.”
Disclaimer: All quotes and experiences are recalled from memory so they may not be 100 percent accurate. Many of these encounters are brief, representing just a fraction of each person's story.