Andy's+Page

//Andy is a senior at the University of Colorado and a part-time employee at Starbucks. He likes smiling and helping people connect.//

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I believe in espresso. when an espresso shot is pulled, it comes down in three layers: the dark-brown heart at the bottom, the rich brown body in the middle and the light crema on top. These layers are critical for getting the espresso to taste just right--sweet, but intense. But if the shot sits for more than ten seconds, the layers collapse and the espresso shot tastes bitter and burnt. Without attention, the espresso quickly dies. I'm a barista, and it's my job to connect espresso with steamed milk, preserving the delicious flavor of the coffee.

At the coffee shop, lots of exciting connections take place--first dates, job interviews, reunions between friends and families, all bonding over espresso. Recently, a snowstorm took over the city, leaving the bus system in shambles for the afternoon. A gentleman came to the register and asked for five cups of coffee. I make my usual joke, "You must be really thirsty." He pretends that I'm funny and tells me that the drinks are for the people he met waiting for the bus. I inquire further, "Do they know you're doing this?" He says no. And I smile, reminding myself that this is why I do this job. People always seem to be connecting with each other on their own, be it friends having fun together or strangers facing adversity together.

Connecting with each other is actually really easy. Preserving the beauty of our espresso shots takes more than connecting with other espresso shots. If I want the coffee to last, I need to combine it with steamed milk to prevent the layers from collapsing. I think people are the same way. Steamed milk is our passions. It's how we derive meaning in a big, random world. So I'll make a 12 oz Caffè Mocha for the child going to his piano lesson. And I'll make a 16 oz Americano for the entrepreneur promoting her business. I'll make a double-decaf latte for the expecting parents. And I'll make a cappuccino for the girl lost in her book.

So when I say I believe in espresso, I really mean that I believe in nurturing our connections. It's not always easy--I've seen just as many people fuss about the way their espresso connects with their milk as I've seen people struggle through their lives. As an observer I find myself empathetic, feeling the struggle of the people I see. And I know there have been times I've let my own shots die. But for now, I'm a barista. It's my responsibility to keep the espresso shots creamy and rich. I call out for us to nurture the baristas in our lives: the systems in our world that connect us and preserve us. It's the neurons connecting our brains, the satellites connecting our cell phones, the roads connecting our homes, the opportunities connecting our dreams, and the love connecting us to our passions.