CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A South Side man wants to be an opera singer. While he’s waiting for that dream to come true, he is entertaining people from all over the world, for the price of a grande latte.
"Welcome to Chicago!"
Andre Owens is a barista at a Starbucks in Terminal 1 at O'Hare. He tends to sing to customers – telling them their order is up.
"For Daniel, I have a very special tall macchiato with peppermint and marshmallow for you!”
"Thank you very much, sir,” the customer replies.
"Actually, last week, there was a lady who asked me how much could she pay to get me to stop,” he recalls. ”All you can do is go, 'Nothing. You're my customer. I'll do exactly what you want me to do.'"
"Oh, Virginia," he croons to another customer, "I have a tall hot chocolate for you. Have a great day."
But seriously, Owens tells WBBM Newsradio: "One person made me cry, a little. She had a phone call. A lot of stuff going on. She was having a bad day. She said, 'Thank you for making my day. I was ready to do something stupid after I left this Starbucks.'
"And I thought, really? Your life is more important than that."
The orders continue coming in Terminal 1.
"And to Dave, I have a grande black tea -- have a great day! Don't work too hard."
That last guy was a pilot, by the way.