Teen coffee shop barista quits to go travel after being talked down to and over-supervised for months by an older coworker who suddenly praises and pursues her as a friend: ‘Suddenly she's asking me about my plans, telling me how brave I am…’

A teenage coffee shop barista spends months being talked down to, corrected, and treated like a trainee mascot by an older coworker, only to become suddenly fascinating and friendship-worthy the moment a resignation goes in.

For the entire job, this coworker performed daily lectures disguised as mentorship. Every task came with supervision, every drink got redone, every interaction dripped with sweetie and unnecessary explanations. The younger worker existed in a permanent state of being corrected in front of strangers, while older employees enjoyed the luxury of casual mistakes. Respect arrived only when departure did. The moment she stopped being the teenager behind the counter, she transformed into someone brave and interesting, someone worth following on Instagram and making vague plans with. None of her skills changed, just her employment status, and suddenly that unlocked basic human respect.

There is something quietly infuriating about people who only notice competence once it walks out the door. The coworker never saw her as capable because she decided age was the same as ability. Condescension dressed up as kindness still stings the same. What makes it worse is the lack of self-awareness, the seamless pivot from patronizing manager to enthusiastic peer without acknowledging the months of dismissal that came before.

Author image for Etai Eshet Etai Eshet
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