so today i was at beaners, a coffee shop in west duluth, sitting in a booth by the window with my laptop. i was quietly enjoying a vanilla soy latte when suddenly a woman in the next room started yelling at another patron. it appeared that the woman had some sort of mental disability. she swayed as she talked. she had a pretty substantial speech impediment.
she started begging, literally begging, for money. “please?! it’s an emergency!” “i won’t ask you again, i promise!” “i’ll quit bugging you!” “i’m trying to find a job!” “please! i promise I’ll pay you back! it’s an emergency!!”
this went on every couple of minutes for about 15 minutes. other customers were visibly annoyed. i was wondering if maybe they’d kick her out, though the barista seemed as if she knew this person, like she was a regular fixture there. when the woman went up to the counter and asked for some water, the barista gave it to her without a word.
finally, after the last bout of begging — “please!! i really need this today!” — the woman came through the archway and into the room where I was sitting.
“hey, i have something for you.” she said. like everyone else in the room, i ignored her and kept looking at my laptop screen.
“hey! you need to have this!”
and then she walked right up to the booth where i was sitting. finally i had to look up.
she put down a crumpled $5 bill on my table, next to my coffee. and then she looked me dead in the eyes, and in a voice as clear as day, she said:
“you need a miracle more than i do.”
and then she turned and walked out the door. i sat there, dumbfounded. everyone else in the room was staring at me. i quietly packed up my things and left.
i don’t know what that was about, but i am literally still SHAKING.