Starbucks: Reminder of How Small the World Really Is

I have frequented my local Starbucks a handful of times, trying desperately to reclaim the feeling of being at the Coffeehound. But it was more or less the same as going to a Starbucks at home.

- There were the same young hipster looking kids sitting over laptops looking thoughtfully out the window. Every once in a while someone would type something, but I think it was only to search friends on the Thai equivalent of Facebook.

- There was the occasional white person. After all Starbucks is a kind of international hub; a consulate or embassy of sorts. These tourists are nice to see actually, considering I don't see very many Westerners in my neighborhood. With shopping bags in hand and tears in their eyes, they nearly fall into the entrance of Starbucks, kissing the terracotta colored floor tiles. "Alas, Civilization!" All of them treat themselves to Frappucinos.

There are differences, however, that are quaint and reveal a Thai culture that strains against American commerce and decorum.

-At Starbucks, patrons are usually quiet and thoughtful of other patrons. They keep to themselves and their laptops. There might be engaged in conversation in the corner of the room, about voting rights in Malaysia or something, but that's about it. Today, I found a group of teens playing the card game UNO, quite enthusiastically. None of them spoke English, but every once in awhile, I'd hear someone cry: "UNO!!!" These kids were obviously having more fun than usually allowed in a Starbucks.

- While I ordered my Americano, the girl behind the counter challenged me to try their samples.
"They are delicious!"
When the Thais try to describe food in English, everything is delicious. I looked down at the counter to find hotdogs wrapped in croissants. Really? What is with this city and hotdogs? I tried the Starbucks pig in a blanket and gave a thumbs up, which satisfied the cashier. And here I was trying to avoid the hotdogs of this city, only to get caught at America's snootiest coffeehouse.

I can't say that I won't be back. It's my one piece of familiarty in my neighborhood that I can visit on a regular basis. I can set aside my disdain for hotdogs, I guess. They do make these incredible almond cream croissants. Plus the workers are so damn nice and know English so well. Or they know their menu pretty well. I haven't had a loose conversation with any of them to know.