chat over coffee

the friendliest, nicest barista i've ever met works at the coffee beanery at our mall. you won't miss him, he's the skinny guy who speaks with this accent that makes you wonder if he's irish or australian. maybe it's because i consider it a sort of novelty to my ears to hear an accent like that other than the usual american variety or the occasional spanish chatter.

i decided to get my frap fix from him today because the starbucks stall had a line. yesterday was starbucks' green tea frappuccino day, today it was going to be coffee beanery. and it was going to be that thing that is on the poster so i don't have to stand in front of the counter taking too much of my time deciding which drink i wanted.

when he saw me approaching his counter, he straightened up and readily smiled at me with a cheery "hi, how are ye?"

me: "hi! i'm hungry and thirsty so i will have a (stares at the poster, even though i've had this drink before) black and white..."
barista: "frappalatte?"
me: "...frappalatte...the tall size please."
barista: "okay...(starts to prepare my drink) i have one more bagel here, would ye like to have one since ye say yer hungry?"
me: "oh no thanks, i'm going to have something else."

after a few more pleasantries and insistent queries about whether i wanted whipped cream on my frap, i finally asked him, "what is your accent?"

barista: "it's lebanese", he says proudly. "people think i'm irish but i'm pure lebanese."
me: (purely shocked)"ohhh, i thought you were australian, or irish. i know someone who's half-lebanese but she doesn't speak like you at all."
barista: "well maybe because she's half-lebanese that's why she doesn't sound like me."
me: "well, thanks for telling me." and i smile at him.
barista: "have a nice day," he said with a smile.

and i hastily stuffed my change in my pocket, forgetting to put a dollar on his tip mug as i had originally intended.