Coffee Service

Introducing a New Office Procedure

Hello Mom,

I remember a time when you said that at your Real Estate Office, ordinary people lacked the common sense to install a new roll of papier de toilette.  One lady finally posted a little sign labelled, “Very Simple Instructions!”

Here in the “break room” at my place of employment, we have a microwave only and a pure water dispenser.  There was nowhere to wash your hands, except in the bathroom.  And if you bought some blueberries or cherries from an outside street vendor, you had to rinse them in this same place.

Then, facilities came along and installed a really nice sink in the “break room.”  And they installed a proper microwave shelf, then put the oven up there.  But there was no soap or coffee or tea.  Many offices now have a Keurig machine.  But the nuisance problem is that some workers like to steal the Keurig cartridges to take home.

I finally gave in and bought a box of Lipton tea and put it in the “break room” with a notice that it was supplied by your co-workers...and meant for all to share in the office.  And they did.  And now, some other people bring in tea.

About a month ago, facilities installed a three-pot commercial office coffee-machine ~ you know the old kind with the basket brewer.  And there it sat...fully connected and operational, but with no coffee to put in it.  So, like the little red hen, I bought some coffee and filters.  Just today, I put some half-and-half in the fridge and some sugar under the counter.  This is the notice that I put on the coffee machine:

“It us nice to have a coffee service, don't you think?  Every office has basic coffee and tea service in the 'break room'.  Facilities has been kind enough to make us a nice hand-washing sink, which is also good for rinsing fresh fruit which we can buy outside.  (It's pretty awkward to rinse them in the bathroom.)

“And look, Facilities has put the microwave up on a shelf for us and installed this beautiful new commercial coffee maker.  A simple Keurig would have been simpler and cheaper, but this is what we have now.  It's a nice museum piece, but did you know that it actually works?  That's right:  If you put a proper filter in the basket with the right amount of ground coffee, and press the Brewski button, you won't believe this, but it will actually fill the carafe with hot coffee!  Isn't that simply lovely?

“I love hot, fresh coffee, don't you?  Where I come from, there's a Tim Horton's on  every corner and people line up for their 'Timmies' coffee every morning.

“The one thing we do not have is actual coffee to put in the machine.  So, your kind-and-generous co-workers, the same folks who wanted free tea in the 'break room', and happily share it with everybody, have bought some coffee...filters...milk (half-and-half)...and sugar, so we can make this spiffy new coffee machine do its thing.

“It isn't really expensive ~ it's just that if no one person takes the initiative...then no one will.

“If  you like having coffee in the 'break room' , then you buy some once in a while.  (One can of ground coffee is cheaper than a Caramel Macchiato at Starbucks.  If  you like milk in your coffee, then you buy some occasionally. It's  that simple.  You learn to live with people by being kind to your fellow man.

“So yes, there is some real sugar in the cupboard below and some half-and-half in the fridge.  These are for all to use.  And you ask,  'Where's the sweetener?'  It's over at CVS (Pharmacy) and they will accept Federal Reserve notes in exchange for sweetener.

“What about stir sticks, you may ask; Just put your milk and sugar in the cup first and  learn to pour so the turbulence in the cup achieves  the dissolving  reaction.  In fancy restaurants, they pour the carafe a meter from the cup without spilling a drop.

“What about cups?  They have some nice ones over at the PATH station.

“As a last word, we are adults here...and not kids.  We all learned to clean up after ourselves in childhood.  If  you make a mess, then clean it.  If you spill some milk, coffee or sugar, then get a paper towel and wipe it.  And you men...the ladies here are not your mommies and wives to clean for you.  In a civilized country, we treat our ladies with respect.

“Now...let's make good use of our new coffee machine!”

* * * * * * * *

Henry Ford's View on Co-operation:

Coming Together is a Beginning.

Keeping Together is Progress.

Working Together is Success.

Merle Baird-Kerr … crafted July 27, 2013

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