And I needed coffee...

While I have already had a semi-productive morning, I needed coffee. I do have coffee in my house, as well as a bevy of other caffeinated beverages and supplements, but I wanted "real" coffee.

As a side bar, I had the weirdest sleeping night. I was in bed by 9:30, with the windows open (listening to the various animals that make the wetlands near my home their home) and Ira Glass playing on my iPod. It was nice. I slept well, without any dreams until 3:00 am. And then it was...fitful. The animals were no longer welcome, the air was brisk, and I was...for lack of a better word...cranky.

Anyway, I decided to head down to MochaBlend to get their Costa Rican dark roast.

A note on MochaBlend: I know that some people swear by this place but while the coffee has been good, the service has always been (at the best) indifferent. I only continue to go there because they are the closest place that has coffee and some days I need it. (Yes, for those who know my particular geography, Dunkin' Donuts, Burger King, and McDonald's are closer, but that is not coffee.) My friend Lemon has agreed with me on this in the past, though I do not know what she thinks about it recently.

So, I walk down to MochaBlend and I see that the neon sign is flashing "OPEN" while the placard saying "Sorry, We're Closed" is still up. It was 9:03 at this point. They open (normally) at 7. To say that I was "freaked" would be accurate. I needed this coffee and I had made a pilgrimage to get it. This was my Monday morning Hajj and I was not to be denied. So, I tried the door. It opened. There were customers in there.

Then, I asked, "Want me to turn the sign around?"

The owner, whom I have only seen there once before, laughed and said "That would be great, it's been a tough morning."

And then I proceeded to experience my first non-indifferent customer service experience at MochaBlend.

The coffee was good too.