“Hey hey cupcake!”

I say those words every time someone walks into the bakery where I work. It was awkward at first, but by now it’s reflex. Everyone smiles when they hear it, and many repeat it back. The barrier between salesperson and customer is broken as they laugh and walk up to the counter.

Hey Hey Cupcake is a cupcakery in my hometown where I have worked for the past two summers.

Amidst the endless dishes, bread crumbs, and frosting samples, the people who walk into the little shop have unknowingly shown me beautiful things about each other and the world we are in. Granted, not everyone who works in a bakery finds philosophical meanings in a child’s smile or a tourist from Florida, but somehow I discovered a few.

Each person who walks into Hey Hey Cupcake has a story. Some are friends of the owners who need counsel, some are teenagers searching for truth at the retreat centers around town, some are camp counselors who want to make their cabin smile, and some are tourists who are glad to have a break from their hometown. They are all novels waiting to be read, and if I ask, maybe they’ll tell me a chapter of their story.
People like to talk about themselves; when they find out that I am willing to listen, it opens up doors to form new connections. The ones who order cakes are the most interesting. I hear stories of birthdays, weddings, and bridal showers. One woman came in and ordered a cake for a baby shower; she was adopting a baby who was due in a few months and had just discovered that the child was a boy. I could see the pure happiness and excitement in her face when she talked about him. Engagement stories and wedding plans are always exciting to hear. Teenagers walk into the shop in groups and gush about how they only visit the town once a year and have been waiting for these cupcakes since last summer. They sport collegiate and athletic wear, “Go Greek” t-shirts and fandom merchandise. Asking one question about them starts a conversation and suddenly, we each have a new friend for the moment. People are stories waiting to be told and connections waiting to be made. Cupcakes build the bridge between buyer and seller.

Though many customers are glad to tell me their stories, some just aren’t friendly. Plain and simple. Sometimes I cannot meet their needs; I cannot help every single person who comes into the store. They may not take this well, but despite the fact that not everyone is kind, I must have the patience to be kind to them either way. The customer may be hurting and taking out that hurt on the stranger behind the counter (me). They may have had a desperate craving for chocolate chip cookies and are frustrated that we do not sell those.

Our lives are so immediate in this age. We are so immersed in the immediate results from our phones, fast food restaurants, laptops, that when we receive a “that flavor will be ready in ten minutes,” or “I’m sorry, but we are sold out of that flavor today,” we may not like this answer. Overall, this has shown me that people need grace. I may not be able to help them with the products that I sell, but I can still smile and be as sweet as possible. If nothing else, they may have just needed someone to be kind to them. If I can be that person, I will be.

One thing that I have seen at Hey Hey Cupcake overshadows the rest: People truly do love other people. I believe that very strongly. Whether it is the counselor buying a dozen cupcakes for her campers, the woman who buys for her officemates, the pastor who buys for the 20 teenagers in his youth group, or the grandfather who tells his grandchildren, “pick out whatever you want,” they all are striving to show others that they love them. Those receiving the cupcakes are not the only ones who are blessed; even my worst days can be improved by my coworkers, all of whom are beautiful, strong women, or the lovely people who come into the shop. Everyone has a story. Everyone needs grace. Everyone needs love. In my life, these essential things come in the form of cupcakes and coffee. I am so grateful to have a job so sweet.

Bye-bye cupcake!