I'm a big coffee drinker. I need it first thing in the morning and no matter how sleep deprived or cranky I am, it always manages to cheer me up. Two days a week, I walk weary-eyed to the Metro North train station around 7:45am. During this walk, I pass a few coffee spots, including Starbucks. However, despite all of my options, I settle for the coffee & pastry cart outside of the train station. A Spanish couple manage the coffee & pastry cart. Every time I see them, they greet me with a smile and say, "Como Estas?" I've purchased coffee from their cart in the pouring rain and in the midst of a blizzard. No matter how terrible the weather is, they still greet me warmly. The coffee is only $1.25, so I always give them some spare change as a tip. When I slide the money across the counter, the man pushes it back to me and says, "Too much! Only $1.25!" I always smile and say, "Keep it!" Him and his wife both smile as they add my tip to their jar. All it takes is a few extra cents to make their day. It's not much, but it goes a long way. By the time I board my 7:52am train, I am slightly caffeinated, but am fully satisfied in knowing that my few cents went a long way. That is how you start your day off on a good note.
~Megan Mitchell