Walk into cafe.
One of the managers behind the register sees me enter and shouts my name, “Zero!”
I put my laptop bag down and wave. He continues… “Mild mannered cafe lurker by day… Superhero by night.”
“I can neither confirm nor deny that,” I say as I approach the registers.
“You probably are a Superhero. In any case, you’re my favorite Zero… well, other than the one at the end of my paycheck.”
I laugh.
And since he’s actually helping another customer throughout this exchange, the other cashier greets me, “Hey, what can I get you?”
“Coffee, please,” I say, waving my travel mug.
“Is that it?”
“Yup!”
“You’re good, man. Go ahead.”
And then I walked away like a guy with the impression that they’re kinda maybe ok with me at this establishment.