"are you for real?!"

The oddest thing happened to me last night...

I was working at Starbucks, as per usual... When two guys came in. Nothing out of the usual... We often get customers.. However, there were no other customers in the store.. Which was weird... We offered them chocolate cupcakes. They declined (okay, something's up). I repeatedly asked them the Starbucks question - "what can I get started for you?" and they were so uncertain. Kept saying "I don't know", while starring at the menu. I was just about to tell them they were the most indecisive customers I'd ever met when..

The one guy started shifting his feet, put his hand inside his jacket, and said "... I hate to do this to you..."

(I said) "what?!" (honestly confused to what he could be going for...)

(he said) "I hate to do this to you... But what is the time on your safe?"

(I honestly had no idea what he was getting at... Call me slow)

(he said) "How much time is on your safe?!"

(I said) "There is no time on the safe."

(He said) "There is no timer on your safe?"

(I said) "Well yeah, there's a timer on the safe, but it's not going off anytime soon..."

(He, obviously frustrated with my lack of understanding) pulls a 10" hunting knife out of his jacket, and demands all the money in the safe.

It was then that I called over to my co-worker, that was in the cafe sweeping, to come over to help me out.

At that point, a women in her 40's entered the store, saw the knife, started screaming "oh my God, oh my God", started crying, and ran out of the store. It was then that I realized it was real.

With the knife pointed at us the entire time, my co-worker and I pretty much discussed the situation with these (awkwardly polite) robbers. My co-worker told them that there was no way she could get into the safe, because there was no management working.. And that all we had was what was in our till. They wanted what was in our till.

It was then that I informed them it was less than $150, and asked them if they really thought it was worth it. My co-worker asked them if they really needed the cash that badly...

The one guy (the only guy that talked the entire time) told us that yes, he needed the money that bad.. But it was partly political - that he hated Starbucks, and the corporation. At this point I'm thinking "what an idiot. I think this guy is the most ignorant person I've ever met" (I wonder if my face showed it...). But honestly, this poor guy probably goes to the university across the street.... Had been brainwashed into believing that all the evils in the world have been created by or through corporations...

After we handed over the money, they thanked us, before exiting the store. I then called 911, and they came within minutes. What an odd experience - polite robbers.

Don't get me wrong, I was scared. It was a weird experience - one that I never thought I would have in my lifetime... My biggest fear is robbers - they are irrational. If this dude was irrational enough to hold us up at knife point for a mere $135... He was probably irrational enough to actually use the knife for it's intended purpose. A part of me is just really sad for the guy. How desperate do you have to be, to make $135 worth it... What drives you to that point? I don't think I want to know.

This whole experience makes me wonder why it happened to me... I don't want to get too spiritual on you... But who knows, is there a purpose in all this? Which maybe scares me all the more...

It makes me angry that this was 100% white collar crime. It makes me angry that we have the privilege of robbery... Disgusts me... They were totally run of the mill guys - normal in every standard. Makes me wonder.... As I was sitting in Starbucks today, I got uncomfortable. I started looking around, at all the "normal" people, and it got me wondering.. You never really know... I realize that sounds very paranoid... It won't last long. I'll return to Starbucks tomorrow... But nonetheless... This experience affected me... And that fact - makes me angry.