Last week while working at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, a well-known coffee corporation in southern California, my supervisor opened a box of camo T-shirts and caps to inform the staff of our new uniform for the rest of the summer. The company is selling "Support Our Troops Blend" and gives every purchase of this blend to US soldiers. He informed us that we are to sell five pounds per day of the blend and will dress in camo to unsure our success in the endeavor. I was certain he was making a joke and appreciated that he sustained a very serious demeanor in relaying this information to the few staff members that were gathered in the back room; I thought he had a great sense of humor for telling us that we had to dress in military costume for the next two months of work. At some point- it took several minutes- I realized he was serious. After I finished my shift, I took home a camo shirt and cap from the box, but left the army boots under the table.
The good news is, I have sold one pound of this coffee! I was flushed with excitement on my first sale. And luckily, we don't have to wear the hats anymore; our manager found them humiliating. He also reduced our sales quota to one bag a day, bless his heart. So, I ask those customers who look especially patriotic if they want to buy the "Support Our Troops Blend." Sometimes, I get shot down. One man responded by grumbling that he does not support the troops. For one woman, my sales pitch inspired in her an overflow of tragic emotion concerning the nature of the war. The couple that responded by purchasing a pound has a son in special forces in Iraq. Such mixed responses to my duty to sell coffee that supports US soldiers proves to me that for many Americans this summer, patriotism is not a solid commitment. I stand a little uneasy behind the counter in my camo uniform, still smiling.
