My missed opportunity….
Sunday,Pittsburgh downtown.Temperature was around 20 F.It was a cloudy winter evening.As I started feeling that urge to empty my bowl and also to get myself warm ,I had to step inside the first spotted Starbucks.Ordered my usual “extra hot” caramel macchiato and settled close to the big windows that were facing the street.
I noticed the attention-seeking teens giggling at one table ,then a lady with her earphones glued to the ears ,her eyes and neatly manicured hands playing with her iPhone.A man reading a book,the boys and girls at the counter helping the incoming customers.All minds were engrossed in their own way and finally I resigned to my world by simply drifting myself to watch the actions that unfolded in front of my eyes.
The entire coffee shop was awakened in to awareness by a loud knock …one more loud knock…by this time..all others turned towards the direction of the noise for a quick look and were back to their own world.I heard the yelling..”anyone inside”…one more knock on the restroom doors… no one answered..but the boy at the counter yelled back “the door is locked”.”Oh ya,I was last person who used the rest room,I locked it and the keys are with that boy”,I thought to myself.
The woman in thick coat,muddy boots,frizzy hair pouted.I don’t think if any one else had an eye contact with her, except me.I read her vulnerability through her doleful eyes,sipping my macchiato.She slowly dragged her overweight body and reached to an old man waiting outside the store,he looked equally fragile.Through the window I saw them waiting at the cross walk for the lights to turn green,holding hands together.
Another Starbucks, same caramel macchiato-when I sipped the next time,it didn’t feel right.I tasted again to check the sugar,caramel – everything was perfect.It just didn’t give me the warmth and I could not stop thinking about my folly of not helping the old woman to use the rest room.I simply could have made an extra purchase that day and should have got her the restroom keys.
Wish, I don’t miss my future opportunities….
Justaroundme's Blog 
happens..i’m sure this one incident will be at the back of your mind and will pop out when another such thing happens, that will be your opportunity to do what you missed this time around 🙂
I hope to get an another opportunity..but what i am not able to forget is her image and the situation.
Strange! when we, humans grow more comfortable in our spheres, we tend to overlook others spheres… the plane ignorance of it all in full sight, but see your post just reminds us that the conscience is not dead in many… u will get another opportunity soon to make up for this one… 🙂 Cheers up 🙂
You are right,helping a complete stranger,it does not come easily to me, deep inside i wanted to ,but I stop for a moment to think and the moment get passed….hope the next time at least…
Out of curiosity. They lock the restroom and if you buy something there ; you can ask for the restroom keys is it ? Just making sure I am understanding things in right way.
I agree with T. Sometimes it takes more than once to realize what we have missed. Lucky we are if we get another opportunity. 🙂
On completely different note; I never knew there is “extra hot” parameter attached. All this while I kept wondering why the coffee is not enough hot ? 😛 😀 😀
Yes you are right.Locking the restrooms-i have seen this only in downtown areas,not anywhere else though.
“with no meat”,”extra hot”,”extra spicy” – few of my usual default parameters and try using it when you get your coffee next time. 😀
ha ha …I need to Google translate it and remember it to pronounce properly so that the lady on the counter gets what I am trying to say. 😛
You get the drift right ? 😀 😀
arrgh..i am sorry,i am not getting it 😦 ..are you in a place where English is not the common language ?…
Yes in my world it is Portuguese.
oh ho..lol! then you need a translator’s help..also be careful so that she does not burn your tongue!
It happens with everyone of us 😀
There are many occasions when I take time to come up with how I could help/ reach out, just to find someone else already doing just what I too could have.
At those times, I think on exactly the same note as you did, to ask for another opportunity.
Life gives us such chances all the time, I am sure you’ll get yours too, soon 😀
It’s my first visit to your blog and I am enjoying reading your inspirational post.
Keep up the good work 😀
Cheers!!
Thank you for stopping by…now off to your space…
Poor woman.. even small things seem to be a struggle for her… use of a toilet is difficult for those without money! Hope there is some way this can be changed…
Me: Exactly,even the basics are denied and if we think about it,it is very scary and depressing…