Working at Munchers Bakery in Lawrence, Kansas, I see a lot of people. 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 Sept. 7:
The Balloon Man: He walked in early in the morning. As I checked him out, one of my coworkers asked him, “Did you do it?” and he nodded. To celebrate the release of IT Chapter Two, the man placed 27 balloons around the sewers of Lawrence. He was a huge fan of the movies and was even rereading the 1138-page book. The number of balloons was symbolic of how many years It was asleep.
The Partygänger: The man had ordered some apple strudels because later that evening he and his friends were having a German-themed party to celebrate a birthday. “Is your friend German?” I asked and he told me no. “We just wanted to mix things up,” he said.
The Presidential Trip: He was driving to Abilene for the grand-reopening of the Dwight D. Eisenhower presidential library and museum. “What better way to start the day than donuts and a presidential library?” he said.
The Mario Brothers: The two young boys were wearing Mario shirts--one for Super Mario and the other for Mario Kart (they wanted to clarify that). Both loved the game and so I asked who their favorite characters. “Mario, of course,” one said. The other told me his favorite characters were Luigi and Toadette. He then went on to explain Toadette. As he went on, the line grew behind him and his dad had to cut him off so I could help the next customer.
The Cardinal: He was wearing a St. Louis Cardinals hat. He grew up in upstate New York, but his dad was from St. Louis so it was his favorite team.
The Tigers: A family of four wearing Louisiana State University tigers shirts. The parents went there and they were huge fans. When I asked them what they thought of Les Miles as the head coach for the Kansas Jayhawks. All they said was “Les is a cooky guy.”
The Cowboy: He was wearing a cowboy hat, a belt-buckle, and cowboy boots. He’d been riding horses for over 45 years and he said he had owned eight world champion horses. “I couldn’t do anything else,” he said.
The Piece of Cake: We walked over to the cold case and the customer asked me what would be the best cupcake for someone who loves chocolate. Her grandma had been craving chocolate cake all week, but she hadn’t made a cake because her grandpa was sick. “Chocolate makes everything better,” she said. “Whoever says anything different needs a doctor.”
The Eagle: She was wearing a shirt with cats in a van. The words “On a dark desert highway, cold wind in my hair” from the Eagles song “Hotel California” surrounded the image. I told her that I loved her shirt and I loved the Eagles. She dropped some money in the tip jar. “Anyone that likes the Eagles deserves a tip,” she said.
Disclaimer: All quotes and experiences are recalled from memory so they may not be 100% accurate. Many of these encounters are brief, representing just a fraction of each person's story.