I was a barista. I dated the customer that kept coming to my store. It didn't end well.
I loved my store and I loved my co-workers. It was the first place that I ever worked that felt right for me.
Then this guy comes in who is a regular at the store. He comes to the Cafe and I'm taught how to make his drink order by the Lead. It's not on the menu, but he's a generous tipper so they make exceptions.
He kept coming back to the cafe to see me. He was my co-worker's favorite customer and he seemed sweet. I didn't mind.
Then one day he hands me a gift. It was some random antique photos, flower seeds, an antique key, and a USB drive with some music, art, and a letter saying hello.
When you look through the world in ruby glasses, all red flags just look like flags.
It was weird. Definitely not threatening. And nice. So I wrote him back.
2 years later....
This has been the most toxic relationship of my life. Christmas's ruined. Birthdays ruined. Valentine's day was traumatically awful.
He's not nice and he's not sweet.
And when I think back to how it all started, it's like I'm imagining someone else's life.
I'm not at the store anymore. But I miss it.
And if I could, I would go back to that moment before I wrote back to that "nice" customer.