A Cup of Coffee in My Name

Last week as I was leaving the house for the newspaper, my wife asked if I would buy her a medium cup of coffee. I drove to the Quick Check, parked my car beside a snow bank, and walked inside the brightly lit store.

Jeannie, the manager, smiled, as she always does, and said something as simple as, “Great day to be out.” I smiled and walked up to the coffee pots, grabbed a medium paper cup, and poured in 16 ounces of decaf coffee. Then I walked to the counter, popped a lid onto the cup, grabbed my paper, and paid for my two items. Jeannie wished me a good day.

Arriving home, I walked into the kitchen with the coffee and the newspaper. As I tried to wiggle out of my coat, 16 ounces of coffee fell out of my hands. The cup exploded. Coffee splashed onto the floor, onto my shoes, and onto the welcome mat. My wife and I both stooped to mop up the mess. “I’ll drive back and get you another cup,” I said.

“No, don’t be silly, Chris. I don’t need it.”

“But I want to get it for you. We need milk also.”

I returned to the Quick Check, parked near the snow bank, entered the store, and poured another cup of coffee. I grabbed a half gallon of milk and stepped up to the counter.

Jeannie smiled once again.

“I dropped the other cup of coffee on the kitchen floor.”

I pulled out my wallet, and Jeannie said, “A dollar ninety-nine.”

“Oops. You forgot to add the coffee.”

“No, I didn’t. Your wife didn’t drink the last cup. I’m not charging you for something you didn’t have.”

“But Jeannie, it was my fault.”

She smiled and rang up a dollar ninety-nine.

Christ said that what you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me. I think Christ would enjoy that cup of free coffee.

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