Reaching Your ‘Boiling Point’

Are you ever faced with situations that have just tried your patience and you've reached your limit?

This happened to me over the weekend. Admittedly, I'm not a very patient person...but on this particular day, I was in a great mood, nothing could get to me! So I thought...

I was celebrating my first wedding anniversary with my husband and we were on our way to celebrate with an overnight stay in New Jersey. We stopped about halfway there to grab a coffee and some lunch at Starbucks. I'm a frequent Starbucks-goer, so I know the drill there. Order what I want at one area, pick it up at the next. We place our order with the barista, who was surprisingly smug and condescending, not what I'm used to at Starbucks, I typically get great service. We got our drinks and sat at a table waiting for the rest of the food.

I saw that grilled cheese was a new menu item, and I love grilled cheese, so I went with that. I'm waiting for the barista to call my name to tell me that my sandwich is ready and it's just not happening. Time is going by, the people in line are getting their food and I'm still waiting. I wait 15 mins. and decide to speak up and check on my sandwich. The smug barista barks back at me that it's 'still cooking' and that 'I already ordered a bunch of other things anyway...' So I sheepishly said ok, and walked back to my table feeling stupid for asking.

Fast forward ten more minutes...still no sandwich. Geez, if it's still cooking, it's definitely burnt by now!! So I decide to ask the other barista about my sandwich...now I'm totally annoyed....25 mins. and NO sandwich! Finally, after five more minutes, a grilled cheese comes out...for someone else!! I pipe up and say "Excuse me, but I've been waiting for a grilled cheese for a half an hour." The barista seems surprised and says "A half an hour?? Take this one please, we'll make another..." So I took it, muttered some words under my breath and left. Man! 30 mins. for bread and melted cheese, c'mon!!

At what point would you have spoken up? Would you have waited that long? I think if the barista was actually approachable, I wouldn't have waited all that time...but he was rude, so I felt uncomfortable speaking up. I kind of felt like my limits were being tested! Like 'how long will this lady wait for her grilled cheese????' Too long! How long would you wait? 5 mins? 10? Take the poll here: