Starbucks. Stories. Money.

I was sitting in Starbucks this evening and a man came inside and approached me. He startled me at first because I had my head in my writing and he just started talking. He quickly told me his name and pointed outside to his wife and told me her name. He wanted money. Usually when I have cash I give some. Today I didn't. Without a word or a look back he zoomed to the woman at the table in front of me and I assume she didn't give either because he darted to the man at the table across from her.

And because I'm always wondering about people and their stories before the moment I meet them, I was curious about his. About his family. His wife outside. I wondered if he expected to get a yes with the way he kept quickly rolling up on folks without as much as a hello. We do that though, you know? We roll up on folks with our stories and emergencies and requests and people naturally feel defensive and say no or whatever the response would be to have us get out of their faces the fastest.

I wondered about that family and whether they got any money tonight from the crowd or not. If so, how much? What did they buy first? Where did they go when they left? Who is in charge of the change? Does he make her laugh? As they walk along are there moments he holds her hand while she tells him, "Baby, it's gonna be all right because I believe in you."