The security manned at one of the entrances glanced at me briefly, taking in my dairy-stained black uniform before turning back toward conversation.
I was no threat, and there didn’t seem to be any in the near future as I walked into the empty coffee shop where I work.
The College Football Playoff had come to Phoenix with less of a bang and more of an awkward silence or a pregnant pause.
My coworkers huddled in defeat like chess pieces that had already been taken off the board. I had no choice but to pull my apron tightly around my neck and join them.
One by one employees were sent home early because the lines we were assured of were nonexistent.
A lone customer came in, but to our dismay it was to ask us if Mesa was a good place to look for adventure. The city of Phoenix itself felt a blow at this question as I mumbled Tempe might be a better choice.
Security guards routinely came in for hot chocolate, to stay warm from standing for too long. I offered to steal something from Urban Outfitters so we could play a game of tag but they only responded with, “hold the whipped cream.”
Suddenly the coffee shop was flooded with orange and pep. The Clemson Tigers’ cheerleaders approached the counter to order an array of no whip, nonfat, sugar-free drinks.
And with the flick of a ponytail they were gone.
CityScape remained quiet as the overstaffed stores waited to serve. One manager from a nearby restaurant entered the store to buy espresso and lend an ear to our complaints.
He had hired too many people for the day, just like us, and the rest of CityScape. Employees speculated at the city’s loss of money from this endeavor and cringed at what our taxes paid for.
As we sipped on our juiced bitter beans of espresso we could not help but compare this event to Super Bowl XLIX held in Phoenix last year.
We looked out the windows at CityScape, where the ice rink was being packed away for the season. The Super Bowl ensured the rink’s survival through part of February last year.
The amount of people who approached me to direct them to a shopping mall made me feel ashamed as I pointed them to the Arizona Center, where I knew the Flag & Sports World would greatly appreciate their arrival.
The College Playoff brought in advertisements that littered the sides of buildings but it did not bring the promise of a bustling city.
At the airport a couple days earlier, I had witnessed fans from both teams excitedly pick up their suitcases in the baggage claim. I was coming back from winter break and looked forward to round two from last year.
Where were they that weekend? Did they all go running to Mesa looking for adventure?
Contact the columnist at Melanie.Whyte@asu.edu.
