Thank You Stranger

I pushed the glass door and felt the rush of the 7 Eleven’s AC on my face. My headscarf drooped a bit, and I could feel the strands of my hair flying across my forehead. I slowly brushed my hair, corrected my headscarf and gripped my handbag.

It is gonna be a long night, I told myself. Images of me falling asleep with my cheek on the cold metal table, highlighters strewn all over the table, and coffee stains on my papers filled my head.

I should really stop doing things at the very last minute.

I headed to the beverage section, and took out two mineral water bottles. Two very overpriced mineral water bottles.

Why can’t we drink water directly from the tap like Europe again?

Bottles in hand, I walked to my favorite part of that 7 Eleven. The Caramel Cappuccino machine. There was a man standing in front of me. Jeans, sneakers and a red tshirt. He grabbed a 12 oz. cup, looked up, and gave me a crooked smile.

“I’m sorry, are you getting the coffee?”

“yes I am, but its okay, go ahead”

“Its okay, you can get yours first”

“no really, I insist. Go ahead”

Didn’t want to feel so awkward, I walked to the cashier and put the two water bottles on the counter, smiling to myself looking at the stupid condom advertisements next to the Chupa Chupps lollipop stand.

I headed back to the coffee machine. The stranger was stirring his coffee, while searching for the coffee cup cover.

I pressed the 12 oz. button, and nothing happened.

I pressed it again. Again nothing happened.

I sighed.

The stranger looked at me, puts his coffee down, and called the 7E cashier. Grunting, the cashier walked grumpily and told me that the coffee machine was probably out. Like an automatic response, I sighed and frowned for a bit.

The stranger looked at me with guilt on his face.

                “I’m sorry, you can have mine. But I already took a sip out of it”

“No, no, its okay. They’re probably out. It will only take 10 minutes to refill”

The stranger smiled, and left.

I walked through the magazine section and read a gossip column while waiting for the cashier to refill the machine. I saw the stranger walked into his car.

Nice ride.

Halfway through Kim Kardashian’s page, the cashier called me and told me that the machine was fixed. I put down the magazine, and head over to the coffee machine, and pressed 12 oz.

And a piece of heaven came out and filled that empty cup.

I grabbed the coffee cup and headed to the counter, where the second cashier stood.

“Caramel Cappucino satu, and air mineral.”

I searched through my purse to look for small change when the cashier said

“But the guy who just left just paid for all your items”

:)

There are times life throws at you ugly bastards who breaks your heart and leaves you crying. And just when you are ready to give up on them, life leaves you little surprises, asking you to keep on having faith. Sort of a little whisper reminding you, He's out there, somewhere.

Thank you stranger, and I hope to see you again.