ST. PAUL, MN—Expressing an increased confidence in her ability to eliminate unwanted physical contact from her customers, local barista Katie Mantegna confirmed Thursday she is getting better at avoiding the touch of male patrons’ hands when they pay for their beverages. “I have a little move where I drop their change from four or five inches above their outstretched hand instead of placing it directly into their palm,” said Mantegna, adding that in cases where the change includes paper money, she’s developed a habit of holding each bill by a single tiny corner and then immediately pulling her hand away once the customer takes it. “At first, I thought I could avoid their lingering palm caresses by placing their change down on the counter and letting them grab it themselves, but then some guys caught on and started moving in faster so that they would still make contact before I could get my hand clear. I think with this new technique, I might finally be able to get through a shift without some random man trying to lace his fingers with mine while paying for a latte.” At press time, sources confirmed Mantegna was attempting to quickly hand off a small drip coffee to a customer before he had a chance to clasp both his hands over hers.

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