On Sunday afternoon, I stopped by the Starbucks on the corner of Lexington and 55th. I got in line behind two men, who didn't appear to know each other. While standing in line, listening to a podcast, I overheard the skinny man in front of me ask "what can I get for $5?", I assumed he was a worker who was quickly grabbing a snack before heading back to work. Then the other man who was in line said to the skinny man " Get whatever you want, I've got you". It was then that I took off my headphones and heard the barista say "I have an extra pair of sneakers, let me get them for you". I looked down and noticed that the skinny man was not wearing shoes. The man was quiet, he seemed to be almost as surprised by the generous offers as I was. The barista came out from behind the counter, put his hand on the man's back and looked down at his bare feet and said "oh, my feet are much larger than yours, let me go around the corner and get you a pair of shoes. What size shoe do you wear?" The man said "seven and a half" and with that the barista headed for the door. By this time, I had received my coffee, but I was lingering trying to absorb and understand what was happening. I watched the skinny man select a few sandwiches, scones and a banana and the other man pay for it. I wanted to wait for the barista to come back with the shoes, but I began to feel uncomfortable standing and watching so I left. It was as if, I walked in to a microcosm of what New York, or the world, would be like if everyone looked out for each other. It was a remarkable experience that reminded me of the potential for kindness and community even in a place like New York City. The following day, I went back. I didn't see the barista who had run out to purchase the sneakers, but I explained the situation to his colleague and left this note for him.
I found out the barista's name is Ted.