Going into work this morning

For some strange reason, I had the urge for a $5 cup of coffee this morning. There’s a Starbucks in the American Tobacco District near my office, so I decided I would stop in and get a cup of mocha joe and a breakfast pastry. As I stood in line, I noticed a woman picking up her coffee. I wasn’t the only one who noticed her – everyone in the place did. She was about 6 feet tall, blonde, and thin. She wore 3 inch heels with a perfectly tailored camel colored wool bias cut skirt. Her jacked looked like something from Neiman’s – it was frilly, but still wool, cut perfect to her frame, and the pinnacle of winter fashion. She wore dark sunglasses (in the building), and she sauntered off to her office, looking at no one who looked at her, after receiving the cup of coffee she coached the barista to make.

I looked down at my Levi’s, my Oxford rugby shirt, my brown jacket from Sam’s Club, and lastly, at the brand new Van’s I wore for the first time today. They are brown with a pink stripe. I found them at TJ Maxx for about $12. These are some cool shoes. I’m wearing no make-up and have my hair in a ponytail. I am probably about 3 or 4 years younger than the tall blonde, but our worlds couldn’t be more different. We work down the street from each other, but she’s in the ultimate office apparel in supermodel shape while I am in nonprofit land with the figure of an almost 30 year old, well, non-supermodel figure. I forget sometimes that the places I choose to work are very different than a lot of places in the world. I don’t seek out the jobs where you have to dress up or have “the look” to make the deal. Sometimes I forget that.

As I pulled into the parking lot behind my office building, I saw a homeless man pulling an old suitcase down the sidewalk behind my building. It was cold this morning. He probably slept in the cold or just left the shelter down the street. I got my stuff together and suddenly felt guilty for spending $5 on a cup of coffee and a danish. The man behind my building should have the $5 cup of coffee – but he went around the corner too fast. I didn’t see where he went. So, I went up to my office and drank my coffee – which wasn’t very good. In fact, I’m craving a cup of the stuff we usually make in the office. And the danish was stale. For $5. What a rip.