The Columnist Manifesto

Rebecca, the new barista at Grandma Moses looked very familiar, and as I returned for a second glass of iced coffee in the same morning, she disclosed that she's a law student at My Law School.

Let's look at this from all sides. On the one hand, I think it's cool that a law student would get a job as a Barista at Grandma Moses. I hear from the other members of the Barista team that it's a good place to work, and it strikes me as a nice break from law study. I thought of applying for a barista job here myself, but I decided not to, primarily because I didn't like taking a job away from someone who needed it more.

Rebecca really fits in at Grandma Mo's, and she is bringing a nice upbeat energy to the morning coffee ritual. In contrast to her laid back, almost deadpan co-workers, Rebecca says things like "you got it" when you place your order.

On the other hand, there's the sense that one of my escapes from my life as a law professor has just been cut off. Rebecca, counting out my change, asked me what courses I'd be teaching next year.

And what if my coffee-house behaviors follow me into the law school? What if students start to say, "Professor Madison says he believes in workers' rights, but I hear he's a really stingy tipper"? Or, "how can Professor Madison teach us about the law when he sneaks in scones from Rude 'n' Slows?"

I don't know where this all leads.