I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a neighboring town of Venice, Italy, the city of lights and water.
As we enjoyed our coffee, a man entered and sat at an empty table beside us. He called the waiter and placed his order saying, “Two cups of coffee, one of them there on the wall.”
We heard this order with rather interest and observed that he was served with one cup of coffee but he paid for two.
When he left, the waiter put a piece of paper on the wall saying “A Cup of Coffee”.
While we were still there, two other men entered and ordered three cups of coffee, two on the table and one on the wall. They had two cups of coffee but paid for three and left. This time also, the waiter did the same; he put a piece of paper on the wall saying, “A Cup of Coffee”.
It was something unique and perplexing for us. We finished our coffee, paid the bill and left.
After a few days, we had a chance to go to this coffee shop again. While we were enjoying our coffee, a man poorly dressed entered. As he seated himself, he looked at the wall and said, “One cup of coffee from the wall.”
The waiter served coffee to this man with the customary respect and dignity. The man had his coffee and left without paying.
We were amazed to watch all this, as the waiter took off a piece of paper from the wall and threw it in the trash bin.
Now it was no surprise for us – the matter was very clear. The great respect for the needy shown by the inhabitants of this town made our eyes well up in tears.
A truly beautiful thought. Probably the most beautiful wall you may ever see anywhere!
Author Unknown and greatly appreciated!
墙上的咖啡
一日，和朋友在义大利威尼斯附近一家有名的咖啡厅闲坐，品着咖啡。这时进来一个人，坐在我们旁边的那张桌子旁。
他叫来服务生说：「两杯咖啡，一杯贴墙上。」他点咖啡的方式令人感到新奇，我们注意到只有一杯咖啡被端了上来，但他却付了两杯的钱。他刚走，服务生就把一张纸贴在墙上，上面写着：一杯咖啡。
这时，又进来两个人，点了三杯咖啡，两杯放在桌子上，一杯贴在墙上。他们喝了两杯，但付了三杯的钱，然后离开了。服务生又像刚才那样在墙上贴了张纸，上面写着：一杯咖啡。
似乎这种方式是这里的常规，但却令我们感到新奇和不解。不过由于事不关己，我们喝完咖啡，付了钱，就走了。
几天后，我们又有机会去这家咖啡店。当我们正在享受咖啡时，进来一个人，此人衣着与这家咖啡店的档次和氛围都极不协调，一看就是个穷人。他坐下来，看着墙上，然后说：「墙上的一杯咖啡。」服务生以惯有的姿态恭敬地给他端上咖啡。
那人喝完咖啡没结账就走了，我们惊奇地看着这一切，只见服务生从墙上揭下一张纸，扔进了纸篓。此时，真相大白，当地居民对穷人的尊敬让我们感动得热泪盈眶。
咖啡既不是社会的基本需要，也不是生活的必需品，但需要指出的是，当我们享受任何美好的东西时，也许我们都应该想到别人，有些人也喜欢这样的东西，但却无力支付。
再说说那位服务生，他在为那个穷人服务时，一直都是面带笑容。而那位穷人，他进来时，无须降低自己的尊严讨要一杯免费的咖啡，他只需看看墙上。
多付款的那杯咖啡叫待用咖啡，你付钱了，但并不知道谁会享用它。这就是有爱和美的世界。
这短文让我想起利未记的一句金句：「在你们的地收割庄稼，不可割尽田角，也不可拾取所遗落的。不可摘尽葡萄园的果子，也不可拾取葡萄园所掉的果子，要留给穷人和寄居的。我是耶和华你们的神。(利未记 19:9-10)
【注：人们提前买了咖啡，让付不起的人享受温暖。这开始于义大利Naples，现已传遍全世界】
