Although I firmly believe ghosts are a figment of our imagination, surprisingly, I’ve had my fair share of paranormal experiences. I wouldn’t say they were totally negative, but the weirdness makes for a hell of a story to tell. Plus, the coincidences and comedic timings somehow make everything make sense.
To put things into perspective, I would like to present to you, my dear friend and fellow paranormal barista at Starbucks Escorial, Ophelia:
Ophelia, Starbucks’ Paranormal Barista
Whether it’s a curse or blessing, Ophelia has lived a wonderous life helping her fellow baristas at Starbucks Escorial. Any and every weird and unexplainable thing that happens at this Starbucks location is, by default, an immediate sign that it was her. Mysterious shadows roam around the store? It’s Ophelia and her friends coming back from a long night out. Electricity goes out? Ophelia wanted to give us a day off. A weird sound comes from the empty back room? Ophelia wanted to make her presence known. The A from the Starbucks logo at the entrance falls from the sky? Ophelia felt mischievous and wanted to pull a prank on us. There’s also the mysterious, embarrassing, and unexplainable event of how the Starbucks’ cups are constantly falling to the ground. No matter where we place them on the counter or where we stash them, they will most likely fall on the floor. Human baristas are aware that Ophelia has anger issues and this is how she decides to act upon it.
Although she is an ever-present being, she is incarnated in a small and (sometimes harmless) skeleton figurine with her neatly washed and pressed red apron. Currently, Ophelia’s figurine is lost. I’d like to believe she is out on an all-expenses paid trip around Europe, where she is tasting several other Starbucks’ specialty coffees.
Retrieved from Pinterest
Ophelia is known to be an active ghost. She loves to make her presence known. Sometimes the background music would be turned down–almost quiet and unrecognizable; then when least expected, the volume is unexplainably loud and annoying when trying to help and offer customer service. Since there is no way a human barista can alter the volume without the help of the supervising company that manages the sound system, it must be Ophelia’s doing. Most likely, she is feeling in the mood to host a party!
In the same way, the disappearances of certain objects around the coffee shop could be another hint as to Ophelia’s mischievousness. The most hilarious and constant example is the shops’ scissors—they are one of a kind and essential for our day-to-day tasks. These scissors would continuously, and mysteriously, vanish for a long period of time. Once they were found, we’d thank Starbucks’ Siren for bringing such a prized possession back and I blame Ophelia for the misdeed.
I would say Ophelia has been a mostly amazing, paranormal buddy. Her presence and constant pranks make the Starbucks experience worthwhile. The comedic timing for these unexplainable events turns the most serious and boring shifts into a blast. Certainly, Ophelia has become a hilarious and essential inside joke between baristas at Starbucks Escorial.
Ophelia at her usual hang-out place