This is one of the very few times I will ever use a real name, and the only reason I do is because I am not convinced it is in fact this person's actual name. To start a blog about the coffee culture, and those who comprise it, it only seems fitting that I begin with an outrageous character who comes into the shop where I work. He introduces himself as Genghis, and somehow completely fits the part in a whole new context. If there were some sort of hierarchy for all of the people who consistently come in, Genghis would be the pimp of the "regulars".
Knowing our market prices like the back of his tattered weathered hands, he works the street corner panhandling to make enough to come in and get a "refill" price on coffee, and snag a $0.50 "day old" price on muffins or bagels for a snack. We are in a constant battle with the most obnoxious breed of birds you've ever seen. They terrorize our customers the second someone leaves any food unattended outside, but of course Genghis loves to feed them.
He sports a long flowing greasy white Einstein hairdo on his head that matches his unkempt beard, a pair of faded black jeans, and a thick cream colored long sleeved shirt that is worn no matter the temperature. Out of all of the baggage he totes around everywhere with him, I wish he would suddenly whip out some kind of summer outfit; maybe an old school pair of neon Nike running shorts to show off his tall slender frame with an aloha shirt and some dark shades.
Genghis is absolutely annoying and lovable at the same time. He had been coming in every day for years, and was finally told he could not return because of accumulating complaints. He is homeless, obviously scheduled his entire day around us, and I wonder what that did for his routine. Did he have to start sleeping closer to another cafe? Did he find somewhere else to go, or were there territorial wars with a similar figure there? He cruised in once more yesterday like nothing ever happened, was served, then asked to leave again, but I raise my mug to you Genghis Khan. If that IS your real name. To this bizarre bean: you know who you are...
