“I applied to Starbucks with the thought being that a job there would be forever, or, at the very least, would last as long as I needed it to. I mean, when do they ever close? Turns out, sometimes they do, and now, without a job, I need to decide what my next move is,” explained Pourdeep Grandé, a barista caught up in the recent closure of a Starbucks in Cabbagetown, a neighbourhood in the city of Toronto.

“Look, I didn’t agree to join the Green Siren’s army for the money; I came for both the love of coffee and for the love of overly complex drink orders. Sure, I’ve made mistakes during my time here, bringing home leftovers and shortchanging the odd lippy customer, but remember when the world thought Starbucks was racist? Nobody’s hands are clean inside this mess of a company…but time heals all wounds, and it’s my hope that with some time away from the corporate grind, I’ll be ready to get back in the game of hawking overpriced bevys and pastries to society’s most rushed and irritable individuals. I’ve already refined my profile on the career website and am prepared to relocate anywhere in the world, so long as it involves a return to the front lines and the issuing of a new, freshly washed, green apron.”