Double-bar: To have one person pull shots of espresso and fill the cups with syrup while another person steams the milk, tops the drinks, and calls out the drinks to the customers.

Ideally, the two should work in tandem so that the milk should be added right after the espresso is added. However, since steaming pitchers of milk takes longer than adding the syrups and pulling shots, usually the first person is quicker than the second, leaving a row of half-done drinks at the bar.

The lead, being the first person and having completed his part at the bar, says to the other barista at the register, having no customers at the moment, to help out on bar.

The other barista comes over to the bar, looks at me, the second person at the bar, struggling to steam milk, fill cups, top with whipped cream and mocha/caramel sauce, place lids on cups, clean off milk drips on cups, call out name of person and drink, and place them on the bartop with the oft-requested cardboard sleeves. She then looks at the half-done drinks, now numbering to almost double-digits, sitting in front of the espresso machine, sees that there's no need for putting syrups in cups or pulling espresso shots (the first person's duties of double-barring), and proclaims:

"There's nothing more to do."

Imagine that.

Meanwhile, a gaggle of customers wait. A pitcher of milk takes 20-30 seconds to steam, a third of which requires direct handling to create foam, and there must be a separate pitcher for whole, skim, and soy milks. Whipped cream takes 3 seconds per cup. Pouring on caramel/mocha sauce takes from 5-10 seconds per cup, more for extra. Meanwhile, the "rule" is that milk must be added to the cups within ten seconds of the espresso shot. Do we always follow that rule? Hah.

"There's nothing more to do."

If I wasn't so busy, I would have yelled at her to help me steam milk, top off drinks, or for heaven's sake just help out by calling out the drinks. Luckily for her, a customer came up to the register and she was off the hook.

"There's nothing more to do." I mean, I may be lazy at home, but I'm never so at work. Cuz for one thing, we're too damn busy all the time. Even during lulls, there are tons of things that need to be done. And here is this girl proclaiming, while I am literally struggling with my tasks, that there's nothing more for her to do and she could just relax until the next customer comes.

Not since the Stickler-Lead had I ever gone through a shift so pissed. And the irony? Sticker-Lead has left the company. She "wasn't suited for it." She may have been bitchy, but at least she wouldn't have tolerated incompetence. Seriously, why should I care so much about drink quality and keeping the store running smoothly when so many others don't? Especially from the higher-ups. I swear, if I don't get a raise or if I get a reprimand during my next job review, I am so going to sue. Or squeal. There's no way I'm taking any crap from this store. Not for what they're paying me.