Servicio

Is it the West Indian-American attitude in me or have I been living here just too long and the simplest things are getting on my last nerves. I don't know but I'm not sure if I really want to find out either. But I've notice recently that the service here is getting worst and worst. OK...It's always been bad. but now it's irritating me.

Take today for example. I went into a panaderia (bakery shop) one of the nicest in the area. The procedure in most of them is, you make you order at one place, take a piece of paper and go to the caja (cashier) and pay and then go back to the original place to pick up your order. It can be a time consuming process at the least and today was no different. First I went into the store to make a special order. That was done rather effectively, I must say with no hassle. The guy asked me do I want to cancelar (pay for the order now) I said OK and that was done. While at the register, I wanted to buy a cup of coffee and a pastry. I paid for both of them, was told to pick up the pastry where I was, but take my receipt to another counter to get my coffee. I told the lady that I wanted them para llevar (to go). now here is where it got annoying.

At the other counter, I'm amongst others who ordered coffee and other pastries and was waiting to pick them up. First of all, you know the classism/racism issue I wrote earlier on this week? Well that instantly went into effect. No problem, I've gotten use to it. I wait my turn wid a bit of annoyance. Everyone else is calling out their orders for coffee, but when it comes to me, I must show my receipt....OK, I show it and call for my coffee para llevar(to go). That's when he takes my receipt look at it again and proceedes to tell me that I must pay an additional Bs.500 (about 35 cents) now I'm upset. Why do I have to pay an additional Bs 500. he pours my coffee in a mug and pushes it at me. I must take this coffee in the mug and drink it here, because he fixed it already and I need to pay more. I say no way am I paying the additional funds. That requires that I come out of this line, take my receipt go to the other line, spend 10 mins probably arguing with the first cashier to pay the additional money and then get back in the second line and wait another 5-10 mins before I get my small cup of coffee.

So yuh know dat I pissed off now, I ein paying de difference besides the (to go) cup cost about half de price of the cup of coffee....chuupppssseeee. So wha I do? I left the coffee and he right dey and walk out the store. My other half wid me, ein saying nuttin atall...he thinking, she ley dem get way wid Bs 1,000 fuh nuttin. I thinking tuh myself. I mekkin a statement, that de Bs 1,000 (about less dan a $1.00) ein nuttin tuh me and dem gine loose more dan dat in the long run. Is it my fault dat the first cashier ein chare me fuh de carry out cup? Is is his (the second fella) fault that I asked fuh it tuh go and she ein add dat on. My other half telling me dat he only following he orders...I beg tuh differ on that cause I think if it did one ah dem other blancitos in dey dat he woulda give dem duh coffee and doan think nuttin.

De thing is doh dat I got to go back into the store tomorrow to pick up the special order that I paid for. Now will I tell them about the coffee incident or not. I ein sure yet. Will I order another cup of coffee or let it be? That I ein sure of either. You see, I like coffee. The coffee here is some of the best I've had so far. pure strong coffee. nuh watered down Folgers, Maxwell House stuff like wha we used to in the U.S. I mean fresh grounded coffee steamed through a steamer with some hot steamed milk (con leche) or more coffee and less milk (marron) nuh water...de stuff good. So like how you does go to Starbucks and order a tall latté...no so hey ah large coffee is about half de size of a small, cause it's pure coffee.

Now this is one of the better cafés in the area and I usually eat there with no problems. So, I'm weighing muh options on this. Unlike another bakery that I does go in and come out swearing evatime dat I ein gine back in dey.

Danubios....it's the famous one here in Caracas. The who of who and who can afford does go in dey fuh coffee and pastry. It's the place tuh see and be seen, tuh hobknob and socialize. The coffee cost Bs 2,000 just because ah de name. The problem I have with it is that although the food is good. The service is the worst, absolutely the worst. So yuh gine ask why I does go in dey. Well cause it right at muh back door and the closest most convienient place tuh me. So when ah in a hurry and want some bread that is where I does force muhself tuh go and spend 20 mins trying tuh buy a loaf ah bread or a pastry and dah is wid bout 15 people working behind the counter. Need I say more about the store.. OK. Enuff said.

So I think that I really showing signs dat I ready tuh leff from bout hey, cause evathing annoying me.