As she bumped past me, I notice what she's left behind. The worn yet still kind eyed barista smiles. "Good morning, what can I get started for you?" I step forward and give her the "one moment" gesture with my right hand as I lean down towards the wallet with my left. I turned towards the door and yelled. "Oi! Cunt!" The maddened matriarch swiveled on her thick heels, the anger radiating off of her scalp. Before her lips could part to allow the deluge of derogatory and ignorant slurs, her bedazzled, dollar bill long wallet slapped her right on the bridge of her nose. As she fell out the doorway, a cheer arose from the coffee shop. The barista jumped up on the counter, freed momentarily from the shackles is sanity and customer service. "Have a nice fucking day!"

I smile, feeling the Gucci imprinted leather against my palm.

I walk towards the barista, and wink. "I think she left this for you."

The barista blushes, and slowly feels the pattern. "Thank you." She says, still embarrassed.

"No problem. She deserved it." I took one last look around the small café, smiled at the girl again, and walked out the door with a new attitude. Thank you, obnoxious brat, for brightening my day.

She left her wallet behind and it stares at me like the plague. I don't want to touch it but I pick it up and sigh.

"Miss. Miss!"

When she turns around she's disgruntled annoyed. The last thing she wants to see is my face but I hold up the wallet as a reminder that she needs to be cordial.

"The barista pointed this out to me and I told her I'd run after you. Poor thing gets minimum wage and has to split tips with everyone in the store. Somebody else would have taken your wallet, but I'm sure they'll be fine without your continued patronage. That girl though? She's human. Not a slave, right? So have a bit of respect next time."

One scenario of life is standing behind an abusive customer who has no respect for the employee. They're loud, attention-seeking children in adult bodies. They haven't grasped the art of communication competency...the art of politeness and saving face. There will be many more lines in our lifetime. Migraine lines, sexual assault lines, do as I say lines, squat and cough lines...and yet the trick is to not be beaten down by one person's act of stupidity. And, there was a brief mention of a wallet left behind after the enraged coffee-oholic stormed out.... But, in this case scenario (for some universal reason) there is no wallet to be found.

I eye the bright obnoxiously diva-pink leather wallet, pensive for a moment. Then inspiration strikes. I shove the door open and shout after her "YO LADY!!! Left me a present now did ya?!!", waving her prized possession.

She turns around, highly exasperated, looking like she'd be more than happy to plunge my head into an icy cold bucket of water. Then her expression turns to confusion, followed by an almost painful look of surprise. I do all it takes to suppress a guffaw. "Hand it over kid, or I'll have you arrested" she screams, inching menacingly towards me. "Ah well, you should've thought of that before you stormed outta here declaring to the entire universe.....what was it again......Oh Yeah,.... 'I'M NEVER SETTING FOOT IN THIS DUMPSTER EVER AGAIN'. Too bad, coz I ain't leaving anytime soon. So if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get back to my cappuccino, before it turns cold......like you." I turn around and walk back to my seat with a mix of approving and disapproving looks from the other customers. I ignore them and wink at the barista. She smiles back. Any moment now, I think to myself. I hear the door bell jingle and in storms Little Miss Scream-a-Lot. She waves her arms hysterically at me and begins to threaten me "Now look here kid...". I smirk. "Oh lookie here!! I thought I'd never see you again in here. Surprises aplenty indeed." I hear stifled giggles all around. Her face turns scarlet as she contemplates how to handle her sticky situation. "Gimme that" she shouts. "Hasn't mommy ever told you it's impolite to STEAL??!!"

"Well," I hiss with an air of irritable serenity, "Hasn't your mommy ever told you it's impolite to insult random strangers?" Pointing her wallet at the timid barista. "Let's strike a deal shall we? You get this hideous pink thingie, in exchange for an apology." She yanks off her huge sunglasses and stares at me, eyes flaring. "I'M SORRY" she yelps, addressing the entire coffee shop.

I thrust the wallet in her palm. "I hope you mean it, 'cause if you do, I do too." I say. She stomps off. And my cappuccino's gone cold. Sigh. I guess it was worth it.

*PS. This is purely fictional. I wouldn't have the guts to actually do this. I'd probably play it in my head and smile though*

"Well! I'm never coming back again! Ficken dummkopf!" the rude customer yells, her violet eyes narrowed. She glares at the barista, who looks shocked and offended.

I put my head in my hands as she storms off.

I then get up and order my coffee as sweet as it can be. I'm also sweet as can be to the poor barista, smiling and talking in a soothing voice. Then I notice something. A black wallet with the initials HM on it in golden leather.

"Um, excuse me?" I almost say to the barista, but end up swallowing my words. Instead, I say quickly to her, "Um, miss, can you save my coffee for a sec? I need to go do something very quickly. Thanks!" She nods at me to go, placing my coffee on the counter behind her.

I sprint out the door of the cafe, glad that I didn't wear my heels today, and spot the woman turning the corner. I will myself to speed up and eventually catch up to her, halfway up the next street.

"W-Wait!" I pant, holding the wallet out to her. "I-is this yours?"

She glanced critically at the wallet, then her look softens. "Ah. Danke." She then shakes her head. "Wait. No. In English. Okay...thank you for returning my wallet." She leaned against the wall. "I'm sorry for being rude, it's just that I had a bad day today and the line was long. Entschuldigung for making you run so far. By the way, my name is Hyacinth."

I smile slightly, "And my name is Lightning. You're welcome for the wallet, it really wasn't that far...but try to reign in your emotions next time. The poor barista's a bit put down."

Hyacinth shrugged. "Whoops. Well, I'd better be off. Tschuss!"

I blinked. "She just shrugged it off? Oh well, I'm not going to chase after her again." I jogged back to the cafe and took my coffee, thanking the barista very much for putting up with Hyacinth and giving her a tip.

I walked back home, thinking about the encounter with the rude woman and the poor barista...

This would make a very good story...

"Hey, how are you?" I greet the flustered barista. I never really say that but I feel like that's what she'd like to hear right now.

"I'm good, you?" Comes the wavering response.

"I'm good. Can I just get a hot chocolate? Trying to cut the caffeine lately, you know how it is."

That's absolutely not true, I just feel like chocolate today. I feel as though a little small talk might help.

Below the counter I slip a twenty out of the wallet, before sliding what's left across the counter to her.

"I found this after that, uh... Kind ol' lady left. Should I just leave it here for her to come back, or..?"

Something in her eyes flickers briefly, relief, pride, I can't tell.

"Yeah, just leave it on the counter. I'll keep an eye on it for her."

I grip my hot chocolate as it arrive and slip the twenty across the counter to her, bypassing the tip jar.

"That's really nice of you," I'd say.

I think she'd understand.

The prick at your conscience, always that moral ethical dilemma - what is the right thing for one to do. Indeed her behaviours were obnoxious & yes she was oh so very rude, but who are we all to judge, perhaps it is simply the frailty of another having a bad day. Conversation soon leads to gossip which sees you turn in disgust. Recognition that the anger was perhaps a cry for help, yet knowing two wrongs don't make a right, you switch off from the noise, lost in your thoughts. There you go again, the Jiminy Cricket that sits on your shoulder, that strengthens your resolve each & every day, that sees even your own children frustrated with you at times - too agreeable, always compliant, some even say you're too sweet; for the many times you've been told you're just too damned nice. Yet your disturbance of mind is how others can't see, that this troubled woman just needs someone's empathy. Why does everyone want to react so quickly, to point a finger of blame. While the exchange in front of you grows to a heated discussion on how much she was unreasonable, you're sure you even hear "what a bitch", yet you are left thinking & quite concerned "what made her act like that today", she must be angry, hurt, ill or in terrible pain. What was it that caused such frustration & angst? A simple act of kindness could be the stepping stone, to show this woman that there is compassion & that people do care. You're now telling yourself to be proactive - Moving into action, like you always seem so compelled to do- You dial her number found on the paper inside the wallet - the one that also reads diabetes - insulin dependent. Leaving a message you clearly clearly state: "whilst you were roasting the barista today, it seems in your haste to leave you left your wallet behind. To claim it I suggest you do come back & I must warn you be prepared for an attack. I would like to ask R U OK?