So, I work at the only Starbucks downtown and we see it all. It's been a few years, but I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a friday night and the downtown bars and restaurants were packed. The customers at downtown Starbucks will be mostly drunks, the homeless or drug addicts after 10:30. I guess it was a good enough reason that our store started closing at 10:30, instead of 12:00.
Sometimes a large group of people will come from across the street from the night club and use the restroom and get a coffee. And sometimes they bring a trail of shit with them. That is right, a trail of stinky poopie-doo from the front door all the way to the bathroom, which is completely across the lobby.
Imagine the cross aromas of drug induced diarrhea and freshly brewed coffee. I'm sure every customer that was a witness to this disgusting scene, will never forget the poop trail.
So, we have a very cool small bar downtown that has my favorite IPA on tap and on tuesday it's all day happy hour. Before my first son was born, you could find me there almost every tuesday afternoon enjoying a few pints.
I usually would sit alone at a small table, relaxing with brew and the wifi and on occasion, somebody would ask to join me. As much as I like to drink alone, I'm always accepting of company.
So one day a younger man asked me if he could join me and as usual I said yes. We had some general conversation about life for a few minutes, then he hits me with it. Out of nowhere, he tells me that he was the one that shit in the store. Don't know why he told me, but he did. He said that he was on prescription drugs and he lost control of himself. I remember him being a regular customer, but I haven't seen him in a couple of years. I have seen dozens of young adults lose the battle against prescription drug addiction, and it's a serious problem here in central California.
Wherever he might be, I hope he has found victory of his demons, and I will never forget the trail of shit he left me. Thank you for reading, and I'm @runridefly