Ahhh. Hot, sweet, hot, sweet (did I say hot?) coffee, accompanied by a perfectly executed warm egg and bacon muffin.
I almost didn’t have this. If I didn’t act precautionary and stuff extra coins into my coffee purse (yes I have a coffee purse), I totally wouldn’t have had it AT ALL.
At the usual time this morning, I grabbed my work pass, my phone, and my coffee purse to head off on my coffee walk to get my Saturday morning coffee while at work. Having the scratchy and dry throat that has decided to reappear in my life for a few days now, and feeling also slightly sickly, I looked at the fruit waiting for me on my desk, and decided ‘this will not do.’
Sure, I would eat them today, at some point, eventually. But I needed something solid, something hearty, something to go fantastically with my morning coffee and help me get through the day and way into the night, as we were expecting visitors at our place later on. I threw in a couple more coins from my ‘regular’ purse, into my ‘coffee purse’ (I know, right?!) and with my bomber jacket headed on down the road through the chilly air.
The Asian lady greeted me warmly as I walked up to the counter, smiling happily. I like her. I like my Saturday morning coffee place. I hoped I would like her more in a few moments time.
“Hi,” I started. “I wanted something like a coffee – “
“Yes we have coffee!”
“- yes but, with something like toast? Like a coffee and toast deal?”
Not more than $6.50, not more than $6.50, I repeated in my head. In my quick skim through the contents of my coffee purse earlier, I thought I had that amount for sure, but any more, and I would have to check.
“We have a coffee and egg and bacon muffin for $7.50.”
Hmmm.
“Regular coffee?” I enquired.
“This one,” she pointed to the smallest size, not the medium size as I had anticipated. She repeated regular, and I got confused with the sizes as I started to count out my change.
“Let me check…”
It is usually the case that with coins, there is a tad more than what you initially see with your eyes.
4.50, 5, 6, 7… 7.50!
“7.50!” I said happily. “And for a medium?”
“This one” she again pointed to the small size, and my heart deflated a bit. “It’s a bit extra for medium…”
I started doubting whether I even wanted this egg and bacon muffin. I mean I did, but not enough to sacrifice the size of my coffee. I stared into my much lighter coffee purse, and observed 45 cents worth of coins.
Don’t say more than 45 cents, don’t say more than 45 cents…
“An extra 40 cents.”
!
With 5 cents in my purse to spare!
I emptied all the coins onto the counter like a girl who had just raided the church donation baskets, and minutes later, I was walking back to work very happy. And then at my desk, enjoying my hot coffee, and my warm muffin, I was immediately grateful for all my coins.
ALL THE COINS.
Don’t throw away your churchies people. You never know when they will make your day.
carcrashgratitude 