I work at a pizza shop, and I love my regulars. It’s nice to have such a casual, inconsequential interaction on the daily. I don’t really like small talk, but I’ve been practicing it with my regulars because I realize I can’t just skip from not talking with someone to sharing our deepest secrets. I like connecting superficially with strangers.
I am a regular at a coffee shop, and that also has its benefits. All the baristas love to see my dog. We walked in for our coffee the other day and the barista goes “Oz is here you guys! Oz is here in person!” To some other people sitting at the counter, and everyone was so excited to see him and pet him. My roommate also got their car stolen recently and the barista let us have our drinks for free because he felt bad about it. It’s always nice to know I have one solid pleasant interaction a day waiting for me.
