Dearest, Galley…
How are you doing? I’m fine. Seems like you’re doing better now. I’m glad. It’s been a while. I see you got an espresso machine—that’s nice. It’s better than your drip coffee, but I guess that’s not a high bar. You know, you’ve been on my mind lately—you’re always on my mind. The reason I’m writing to you is, well, I love you, Galley. I’m glad you’re changing and I hope you don’t stop.
For years I’ve stood next to you. The thought of our own cute, little campus cafe has always brought me joy—joy that dissipates in the grounds at the bottom of my cup. There’s a reason we call the whole place the Wardy. It’s not just because you hide behind a slim partition. Cheap coffee is great—obviously—but we want good coffee. It’s the reason we all walk across the street to Tart and Soul even though you sell their pastries and don’t have the same long line. Our favourite menu item is your grilled cheese, and don’t get me wrong, it’s a good grilled cheese, but why does it take so long? I could walk to another cafe and have my order in the time it takes for you to cook my sandwich. My love, it’s grilled cheese, not rocket science.
I want you to be so good. I want to tell my friends I was studying at The Galley. I want to feed my caffeine addiction right here on campus. The convenience can’t be beaten—except, it can. You’re never even open, Galley. Why? You open before I’m out of bed and close before I’m out of class. Babe, your coffee isn’t good enough for people to make time for in the morning. You’re the social watering hole we flock to in the middle of the day. Sleep in, Galley, but spend the day with us.
You are doing better. You’re going in the right direction. I saw your new menu—two different mocha options, wow. You partnered with The King’s Food Security Initiative—I’ll always be grateful for that free soup. You can be so good, Galley. I believe in you. Stay on this path. Get a few more flavoured syrups, fix your filters (I’m tired of
picking grounds out of my teeth), and most importantly, don’t settle. We all want you to be amazing. It’s King’s, there’s nothing better than having a cortado in our private student lounge while reading whatever dead European is cool that week. Make us want your cortado, Galley. Believe in yourself like we do. Be the cafe you want to see at King’s.
Ever yours,
The Watch
