A First-Year Employee Who Bought Starbucks for a Stranger

This is a story from my first year after getting a job, back when I didn't know a single thing about work.

I ended up having to buy Starbucks for a stranger. And not just anything, but the biggest, sweetest-looking one they had.

I know, you're probably wondering what on earth I'm talking about, right?

It's a funny story now. I even find it endearing, thinking about how I really didn't know anything back then.

But for me at the time, it was a slightly bitter experience.

***

That day, I was attending an event for a project I was in charge of, along with my senior colleagues.

It was a promotional job. We were recruiting monitors to participate in an event and hear their raw opinions.

To explain the day's proceedings in advance, we met at a Starbucks near the venue. Meeting customers I wouldn't normally interact with in my daily work had my brain in a total panic of nerves and excitement.

As the meeting time approached, the monitors began to gather one after another.

The person I was assigned to was A-san, who couldn't hide how incredibly excited she was to be there.

“Monaka-chan, hurry up and ask A-san what she wants to drink and go order it.”

My senior was already preparing drinks for the monitors as if it were second nature.

(Oh, so that's how it works!)

I hurriedly asked A-san for her order, and...

“Oh, really!? Then I'll have this!”

( Are you serious!! The biggest, most extravagant one!! No holding back! )

While shaken, I ordered exactly what she asked for and paid for it.

The meeting ended successfully, and the event itself was a huge hit. The monitors seemed to be having a great time as well.

The monitors were kind to me, despite my looking every bit the new employee, and in the end, they even gave me some warm words of encouragement like, “Good luck!”

It was one of the most memorable jobs in my life.

As an event, it was definitely a huge success!

…It was, but I later realized I had made a huge mistake.

My head was so full of the event that I forgot to get a receipt for the Starbucks!

Without a receipt, of course, it couldn't be an expense...

So, I ended up paying out of my own pocket to treat A, someone I happened to meet that day, to Starbucks.

“It’s fine. It’s not a huge amount of money, so it’s fine, but still...”

It was my own fault, so I had no choice. But what is this frustrating feeling?

Even if it's a small amount, you shouldn't pay for work expenses out of your own pocket.

If I could go back to that day, I would tell my first-year-employee self that.

And so, I became an adult who, at the very least, makes sure to get a receipt.

Besides... if I were the senior colleague, I would have secretly told them about the receipt!! Damn that senior of mine!

That memorable 'biggest and most amazing Starbucks bill'.

I would never order that myself... and since I probably won't order it again, it might have been my first and last 'biggest and most amazing one'.

▼ Read aloud by Shiina Otowa! Please enjoy the audio version as well!