Scenes from Penticton BC during Ironman

Well not pictures or a breakdown on the participants or anything like that...just my experiences with the uber-fit touristas that have decended upon Penticton like latte-sipping locusts and have invaded my peaceful little town of employment during this time of uber-fitness.

Yes, I'm a local now. And now I have to deal with vacuous empty-headed sun-worshippers with low-riding shorts and even lower IQ's that wander into my favourite café when I'm jonesing for caffeine, step up to the counter in front of me and ask in the stupidest voice this side of Paris Hilton: "Um, like, what's the best item here?"

Flash forward five minutes of banal sales pitch from the worried looking cashier (the line is growing as Miss Brain Trust and her pseudo-rapper wannabe boyfriend ponder the fact that there is no "best item" - I mean how do you compare pizza vs panini and determine what is "best"?) and the evil Starbucks' Venti from across the street is starting to look like a much better choice...

Finally the glamour twins settle on a boring order of two souvlakis and get the hell out of my way. Total time to order coffee: eight minutes.

Owner behind the counter asks me what I want.

Large Americano, I say.

No charge, he says.

That's Customer Service, I say.

Just taking care of the regulars, he says. Ironman nonsense only lasts a week...Then life goes back to normal. Don't want you going across the street to the Evil Empire. The beans are better over here.

Superior product and superior service will keep me coming back, I say.

There's a lesson in there somewhere, but the caffeine flowing into me pushes it from my mind...