Costa Coffee

I get here early to open the doors at Greater Noida 43. The first thing is always the coffee machine. It makes a specific hissing noise when it warms up in the morning. I start by wiping down all the wooden tables. They get sticky from the sugar and spilled drinks. We have these heavy bags of beans delivered twice a week. Moving them into the storage closet is a real workout. The morning crowd is mostly people in suits who don't talk much. They just want their drink and to leave for the office. By the afternoon, it’s students with their laptops. They stay for hours and only buy one small cup sometimes. We don't mind as long as they aren't too loud for the other people. The milk fridge needs stocking constantly. I’m always checking the dates on the cartons so nothing goes bad. Sometimes the grinder gets stuck and I have to take it apart with a screwdriver. My hands always have little brown stains from the espresso. It doesn't wash off easily no matter how much soap I use. We have some plants in the corner that I try to water, but the air conditioning is hard on them. The floor gets dusty from people walking in from the street. I sweep it about four times a day. It’s a simple routine here. Just making drinks and keeping the place tidy for whoever walks in next.