Ben has been a customer of mine since I started working at Coffee Oasis (Seven years ago!) and he has always been polite and quiet. The type of guy that tips a dollar for a two dollar coffee. Then about two years ago he just stopped coming in. Usually when that happens it's because they'd moved or started a new job that takes a different route to work, but in Ben's case it was because he was starting the first part of a five year prison sentence that was part of a plea bargain with the federal government.
As a former Enron Corp. treasurer, he faced multiple charges of money laundering, wire fraud and conspiracy as part of a 109-count indictment against his one-time boss, former Enron finance chief Andrew Fastow. To this day he still is the only ex-Enron executive to go to prison after pleading guilty.
On Monday, for the first time in about two years, Ben came in and got his large coffee on the way to the courthouse. To be honest, I was surprised to see him because he still has a little over two years left on his sentence, but I didn't comment on the trial. I didn't even realize he was already testifying until he came in.
Apparently, he has been granted a furlough during his testimony. He sleeps in his own bed, drives his own car, and has pretty much free reign to go anywhere as long as court is not in session. The only difference is he is escorted to and from the courthouse by Deputies.
Here's how he looked today about an hour and a half after leaving my shop:
So all this week I've kept my mouth shut about the trial. I figured I'd let him taste a little freedom before going back to prison and he already has the trial to remind him that he is only on vacation. He doesn't need me spoiling it for him as well. However, I think I just might scrap that idea altogether tomorrow.
You see, ABCNews in a report on Tuesday, claimed that he showed up with a Venti size cup (20 oz) of Starbucks coffee. Now, this could have just been a simple case of mistaken coffee. It seems everyone these days drinks Starbucks. We are all forced to at times if we want anything other than nine hour old coffee that has been sitting on a gas station burner all day. In fact, that is more than likely the case. I know that not long before he showed up at the courthouse he had purchased a 20 oz cup of coffee from me personally.
However, it is possible that he finished the coffee and was forced to buy another from Starbucks before making his way through the throng of press agents. So I figure it justifies me asking him to clarify the issue.
You may ask why it matters.
Well, it matters to me. If ABC is automatically calling every cup of coffee that comes in a paper cup a Starbucks drink I'm going to write them a letter. Coffee cannot be classified like copying (Xerox) or bandages (Band-Aid). As much as Starbucks has done for the coffee industry it still has some of the worst gourmet coffees available. None of this is news to anyone with any real sense of taste, so I have doubts that this was an unintentional slip of the tongue (so to speak) by ABC.
It would have been too easy to say "cup of fresh brewed coffee" but they went out of their way to not only name the brand but the size as well.
So, my conclusions are, if indeed he was still drinking a cup of Coffee Oasis brew, as follows:
1. Starbucks has entered in agreement with ABC for subtle advertising (which would absolutely invalidate their ban on subconcious advertising that made the news last week)
2. ABC News is against small businesses (or at least mine) and figures noting them in a story is only news worthy if they have been destroyed by an act of God.
3. The reporter thought that his/her specific knowledge of Mr. Glisan's drink would fill her audience with awe and a sense of absolute trust in his/her abilty to get to the heart of the story.
or (my personal favorite)
4. People convicted of conspiracy love Starbucks
I guess we'll find out tomorrow...
