Starbucks has the best customers.

Working in the service industry, you can sometimes get caught up in the negative stories you’ve had with people. But recently, I’ve encountered a number of great customers who have reminded me just how easy it can be to improve someone’s day.

One group of customers we have is the biker guys. They come in later in the evening wearing head to toe leather, and hang out on our patio with their coffee. One of them, (who when I first met him had long, wavy, light brown hair, and has since cut off his mop in order to donate it to the cancer society), always looks out for us girls around closing time. Him and one of his friends usually help us put the patio away, but they also watch out for sketchy guys that may come in. The other night, he waited outside until one of those mentioned ‘sketchy ones’ left.

Another example is when the photographer who supplies our store with the photographs that hang on the walls came in and we started talking about his profession. We were talking shutter speeds, tripod position, camera brands, and how to make water maintain its flowing motion in a picture, which apparently has to do with the shutter speed. When I told him that I’d be taking photography next semester, he gave me his card and encouraged me to call him with any questions or advice.

My final example of meeting a great person (but not the last one I could talk about) is when one lady came in, got her coffee, and then a minute or so after she had left, came in and calmly said, “I’m sorry, but can I ask you a favour? I’ve just lost the diamond from my ring.” The diamond she had lost was a full carat in size. We immediately began to search. When we came to the garbage in the condiment bar, which is directly under where she had fixed up her coffee, there was no turning back. We put gloves on and searched. After she left I kept looking, but her diamond was never found. She showed up a few days later with a hand moisturizing kit for me, thanking me for something anyone would have done.

Good people are everywhere. I sometimes forget that. These stories are the vary reason I love working with people. It’s true that many times I’ve been disappointed by someone who is unbelievably rude, but for myself, I think it’s better to focus on the great experiences I have.  With this shift, the world seems a little bit brighter.