#cafe bustelo

A little animation I worked on this weekend… When I was a kid, I wasn’t allowed to have plants. My dad always said it was because we had cats, but I always figured he was just being a jerk.

My grandparents, though..... they let me keep plants in their big living room windowsill. I once planted tomato seeds in a Bustelo coffee can. Only one sprout grew, and it got two tomatoes before ants invaded and my grandparents made me throw it away.

I'm in H-E-B's coffee aisle, and a white woman, late 60s, is in an electric cart in front of the coffee I'm thinking about purchasing. She looks up at me, then sighs.

Me: So many choices.

Lady: No kiddin'! I don't know whether to get small box of these [Hill Country Fare] Dark Roast K-cups or a big box of [Café Bustelo K-cups] these. I mean aside from the quantity, I don't know difference.

Me: Would you like an opinion?

L: Yes, I would!

Me: Well, Café Bustelo is an espresso-style coffee. It's a quick boost. I've seen it in most hostels and economy hotels across Europe. It gets you up and out of the hotel so you can go see the Eiffel Tower or the Leaning Tower of Pisa with lots of energy. Grab a second or third shot throughout the day as needed.

Hill Country Fare's Dark Roast Coffee is a rounder, more continous arc of alertness from like about 9:30 a.m. to about 12:30 p.m. So a quick boost or about three hours worth of heighted alertness. To me, that's the difference.

[She grabs the Bustelo]

L: Well, ya don't have to tell me twice!

Me: They also have the instant packets around here somewhere.

L: Oh, I like the instant! The less work the better.

Me: Same. Here they are. I use these packets when I'm traveling. Again, it's that nice boost.

L: Thank you!

Me: My pleasure.

[A pause]

L: I don't suppose you know where the cream cheese is?

Me: (Laughing) I think it's over here in the next aisle. I'll check and come right back.

[When I return, her cart is facing the opposite direction]

L: I'm coming! I just have to figure out how to turn this thing around!

[Later]

Thank you so much!

Me: No problem!

L: Can I tell you something? Oh, this might be too much information.

Me: Sure.

L: Well, you know how you can have the worst day ever, and then later on, it turns out to be the best day ever?

Me: I know exactly what you mean.

L: Well, earlier today, I was at Sprouts, and I'd gotten all my groceries, and when I got to the cashier, I tried to use my SNAP card, and it wouldn't work. Something about the numbers were off. And I told her, "Nothing has changed on this card! It should work!" Well, they sent me to customer service and they got it figured out.

When I got back in line, there was a woman in front of me with a fair amount of groceries, and she offered to let me go ahead of her. I told her, "No, it's OK. She's got all my items totaled up. I can wait, but thank you very much." Then, the woman turns to the cashier and says, "Put this woman's grocery bill on my bill."

I couldn't believe it! This woman put my $71 grocery bill on her tab! That was the best thing that happened to me today!

Me: That's amazing!

L: Isn't it? And now you're the second best thing to happen to me today. 'Cause now I have a new coffee to try.