BRUNO

     My store, in Florida, was located right next to a BMW dealership.  

     A young man whose shirt read 'Bruno' came in daily.   Today, he looked over the menu in a quizzically look, scanning it for so long that he finally had to ask for help. 

“I need something with a LOT of caffeine”… to which my shift supervisor, Steve, told him we could add shots of espresso to anything.

     “What does that mean?" Bruno queried.

Steve explained that you could make any drink, even a frappucino, more caffeinated by adding “shots” because it is like a pure coffee.  "You can do one shot or two.  Heck, some people get quad espressos over ice and just drink it that way."

     So, that’s what he got.  Four shots of espresso over ice.  I had to ask him, of course why he needed so much caffeine.  To which he laughingly explained that a boom hit his head and completely knocked him out.  He continued his story with …”when the ambulance arrived…..I awoke for a short while”

     “Oh my god, “ I gasped

     “Oh, no".. he shook his medical release papers… "it’s fine.  They did all those scans and stuff... I’m okay…I just want to really stay awake." He said, with his eyes open wide.  

     The mother in me couldn’t stop talking  “I just don’t know if you should be having that much caffeine after being knocked out cold.  I think maybe you should take better care of your brain…” 

Steve dropped the iced quad espresso in front of him and handed him a straw following it up with, “Hey man-there are creamers in the corner if you want to add some to it—a lot of people do!”

“Thanks, man!” Bruno replied, and then left.

     All I kept thinking was that, as Baristas,  we should have disclaimers about the effects of our drinks. Just like bartenders have laws that stop them from over serving.  As though that law was ever meaningful.

     I shook my head and turned away from the register.