Fire Alarm at Starbucks

Liam enjoys last licks of my grande non-fat latte-even trumps his Kong bone

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from Starbucks Holiday cup sleeve

 

Yes, another story from Starbucks.  

Holiday cup

Since I am a frequent guest (a Starbucks term for customer) and observer, recorder and latte drinker, the odds of chance would be in my favor for being present at a happening.  I have previously told of the hard time getting a seat, the sharing (unsolicited) of a table and unexpected joy of securing a solo table at peak times.
For this visit I had hope for a table.  From my place as third in line I judged from the rustling and slurping of drinks that some of the guests seem to be near the end of their visit.  By the time I would have my NY Times and latte, I might be looking at a few available seats.

And then it happened.  The fire alarm went off.   I knew it was the real thing as I recognized its shrill incessant unforgiving tone.  And it would  keep repeating until satisfied that someone was listening. 
I have a great deal of experience in fire drills.  In my work life at Social Security, I held almost every fire drill related position one could.   I had been a restroom searcher, a stairway monitor, a floor warden, a deputy floor warden, an elevator monitor and a disabled person elevator monitor.  One commonality was present over the years.  Not many ever really believed the fire alarm was actually signaling that smoke had been detected.  We had so many drills that all knew what to do:  listen to instructions, go to the predetermined place and wait for more instructions.  We sometimes actually evacuated the building to make sure we would all do it in a safe, orderly fashion.   We had a trained population, no prodding needed, everyone on board.

Here at Starbucks most guests had not been part of any Starbucks drills, so no trained group.  I know Starbucks must have staff drills but with the transient quality of its customer base, few of those present had probably ever been in a drill.  No one moved.  I understood.  For those in possession of a hard won seat, even fire might not be enough to propel them out of the store.  A few of my fellow guests looked up and I used the opportunity to comment, " You know we really should pay attention.  There really might be a fire in here."
To my great delight, people listened.  And one by one folks gathered their laptops and lattes and filed out.  The very responsible and proactive Starbucks manager had already done her "officer-in-charge" checks within the store and followed the group out to find the source of the alarm.  I stood by the door-sort of half in, half out-wanting to follow the evacuation rules and yet cognizant of the now empty store with no bodies in the seats. The pull to return to the store to claim a choice spot was huge, but I had sort of personally initiated the evacuation by my comments, so I felt compelled to appear to be concerned and show camaraderie with my fellow evacuees by standing.

All at once it seemed the fire trucks arrived and the ladders were mounted on top of the drugstore two doors away. The store in-between is wide and set back from Starbucks, so the distance is big. Next shot shows the drugstore with its internal  fire to far right. So no danger to Starbucks.  By now no one was inside except the staff.  Hedging no more, I doubled back. I commanded the biggest table and was rewarded with the best view of the happenings.  I made myself comfortable.  I now noticed that my Ford Focus, Sawyer, was blocked in by the firetrucks.   The Starbucks manager returned from her information gathering and said the fire was in Duane Reade, and we were fine.  I mentioned that my car was blocked and I was their guest for a while. She said  "Might as well hang out with us." My dream, being part of the Starbucks staff without any of the duties.

None of the original Starbucks group returned. I felt no guilt, Had there been a fire I would have been commended in Newsday for "lighting a fire" under them; as it was I was rewarded for my good deed with an empty store and a prime seat.
As new customers arrived I got to tell the story of why the lot was packed with fire trucks, why Starbucks was empty and why I was the only guest.

Starbucks sleeve

When told of this story Liam was relieved to have been home napping. 

Liam napping

He is anxious when hearing the pop up of the toaster, the roar of the vacuum (not by me) and the blowers and mowers of our weekly lawn service team.   A fire alarm would be in that group of unpleasant sounds.

If you have not noticed.   Good news.  The Red Holiday cups are out. In Starbucks culture this is a big event.  They made their 2010 debut on Election day.  Liam gets his licks, and no suffering through fire alarms.

WoofWoof