There I sat, enjoying a cup of coffee with a friend in Vancouver, Washington, when a man who appeared to be in his 50s, disheveled and slightly gaunt, stopped in front of the coffee shop window and bent forward. Seconds later, his feet were straight up in the air and balanced as though he had been traveling with Cirque du Soleil. I pointed towards the window in order to suggest something worth viewing to my friend who turned and appreciated the random act of gymnastics. After a near 30 seconds, the man returned to the natural upright state, surprising my friend and the barista with his aged appearance. 


The man then entered the coffee shop and said the following, "Hey. Um. I'm broke. Can I have a cup of warm coffee or something?" The barista was gracious but firm in his response, "You can. But you still have to pay for it. I can't give anything out for free. Sorry." The hand-standing-man didn't seem too disappointed and shrugged his shoulders before turning to leave. 

While it was entertaining to see such a random thing, it also bears with it a slight sadness. The man was obviously without home and without complete sanity and the reality set in that if on this day he was given the grace of a free cup of coffee without the owners knowing or permission, he would return the next day expecting the same thing. I wanted so badly to pay for a cup of warm coffee for this man because it was a cold day, but I was short on cash also. I hope that one day that man finds someone who is willing and excited to invest in him and that he is willing to find himself in a situation that betters him so that he can walk into that coffee shop and pay for a cup of coffee on any day with his head held high, and without needing to beg or receive pity from anyone in order to get it.