Running Northwest Read Online Free PDF Page B

the counter.
    “Well, about that, Tracie…we should talk,” he said.
    “Shut up, Tom,” she said laughing.
    The way that Tom and Tracie interacted was always entertaining for Derrick who sat quietly laughing in his chair.
    “No, but seriously, there is something extra for you to do today Darlin. There is a kid coming in at 5 pm for an interview. Young guy from somewhere in California, he is 19 years old, just a fetus yet if I remember right. He is staying with his grandma a little north of here until the end of the summer. His name is Pete something or other. And he is looking for a part time summer job; he wants the shift right after you three days a week. Says he has barista experience but you know what I’m looking for when they say they have experience,” Thomas said with a sort of stern look.
    “Okay, so how do you want me to handle the kid, you want me to be ‘nice’ or be ‘me’,” she asked, giving a Thomas a look that amounted to an unsaid question.
    Tracie Adams was known to be somewhat of a bad ass to the coffee shop regulars, not as much as Thomas was but she was close. They both have been known to throw people out for trying to order drinks by using size names like Grande or Venti or ordering drinks from other coffee shops. They were both coffee shop snobs and took pride in the business and what they did. The regulars found it all sorts of amusing. Tracie was the only female employee now in the shop. Another girl worked at the shop about 6 months ago. Who abruptly quit ten minutes into her shift after only being on the job for two weeks. A shift that coincidentally followed Tracie . Thomas never asked Tracie what, if anything, happened that day and she never brought it up either. He just assumed the other girl had been the victim of one of Tracie’s famous tirades. He really did not have much of a problem with that since the first three months of working for Thomas at one of his coffee shops was like going through boot camp. If someone could not cut it he rather they just quit and leave.
    “Tracie, just be your wonderful, hard-ass, overbearing self! Put him through the ringer Darlin. That is part of the reason I want you to do the interview him before I do. U sually that is a busy shift and if I put some hack job kid who doesn’t know what the hell he is doing behind the wheel, people are gunna go somewhere else. The shop will get a bad rep and I do not need or want that. You know we get a little busy in here. Look at his resume and quiz him a bit and see what he knows and if he is lying or not, you will know if he is. If he does okay with that, have him make a single shot latte and a smoothie off the menu. Maybe you should come up with something interesting to have him make and see how it tastes. Don’t worry too much about his speed though, that will come in time anyway. And I don’t worry all that much about it, this isn’t one of those coffee shops that get people in and out the door as fast as possible. Then if you think he did okay, set up a time for him to meet with me here, then I can really hammer him, but call me first. I would rather waste your time first than mine. Besides, if he can get past you then he deserves to meet the guy who signs the checks,” he told her with a little chuckle.
    “Oh jeez thanks boss, make me the evil bitch,” she laughed and added, “But okay I’ll see what he knows and give you a call. Are you gunna be back in later before I leave?”
    “I’ll be here when you’re interviewing him and watching to see how he does,” Thomas said.
    “Wait a minute, why don’t you just do it yourself then ? He knows who you are, you met him right?”
    “I only talked to him over the phone when I called him about his application. He doesn’t know what I look like and he’s not a local so I can sort of spy on him.” Thomas laughed and then said, “You know, I watched you for three weeks on and off before I first approached you about working for me. So what more