It has been a while since I have written here and was going to write about cooking and kindness and then I stumbled upon this sotry. I thought this was a great reminder and way to regenerate this section of my site and my writing
There is a little coffee shop, where two people arrive and aproached the counter.
“Five coffees please. Two for us and three hanging.”
They paid, they took their two coffees and left.
I asked the waiter. "What’s this about hanging coffees?"
“Wait and you'll see."
Some more people came in.
Two girls asked for a coffee each, they paid & left.
The followng order was for seven coffees and it was made by three women - ‘three for them and four hanging coffees.’
I was left wondering...what is the meaning of the hanging coffees, they leave.
Then, a man dressed in worn clothes, who looks like he might be homeless, arrives at the counter and asks sincerely...
“Do you have a coffee hanging?"
“Yes we do, sir.”
They serve him a coffee.... I got my answer.
People pay in advance for a coffee that will be served to whoever can't aford a hot drink.
This tradition started in Naples.
Amazingly, it has spread throughout the world’s cities and towns.
It’s also possible to order not only "hanging coffees" but also a sandwich or a full low cost meal.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could all start doing this in the cities and towns where we live?
Small kindnesses like this can impact so many lives, in ways we could never imagine.
Maybe we should all try it.
- author unknown