A 7:00 a.m. LATTE DELIVERY

My husband and I resided in a small condo located downtown in a large city in southern California.   Our unit was on the street level.   So we saw quite a variety of people daily that walked past our patio.   Some were local residents, some were people that were homeless, and many were visiting from all around the world.    Our place resembled a large aquarium of people if we left the window blinds open.

Every morning around 6:00 a.m. I would get up and let our two little dogs out on the side patio for a “potty break.”   We had a special area for them to use.  We hadn’t lived there long when I began noticing other peoples’ morning traffic patterns and habits.   Just down the outdoor corridor from our home, there was a Starbucks coffee shop.   Need I say more?   We got to know the time and the persons who would walk past our place for their morning “cuppa” and off to their employment.

Most of the people I noticed were the general public, but there was one man who came out of our building at 6:00 am sharp, and every day his destination was Starbucks.  He’d return about six minutes later with “coffee” in hand.  

He seemed a quiet guy, and it was weeks before he ever looked up and noticed me standing there with our dogs.  Mind you there was nothing to draw his attention my way….as I was adorned in my lavender robe and my facial appearance left a lot to desire.  It was so early that the “replenishing makeup kit” hadn’t been opened for application.

One morning I ‘risked’ saying hello.   He glanced over and gave a soft hello.  That was it.   Every once in a while I would see him in the hall, but he seemed as though he never wanted to make eye contact.    Up until this time, we had always lived in a home, but took the initiative to develop a rapport of some kind with our neighbors; and so I felt a morning hello always seemed in order.    But no matter what I did to make eye contact and say hello with this man, it seemed obvious he was not interested in knowing his neighbors.   We only lived two doors down the hall from his condo that would measure about l9 walking steps from our door to his. 

For a long time, I’ve been in the habit of praying for our neighbors on Thursdays.  In that he met the requirement of being our neighbor, I began to pray for him.   Some of what I asked of the Lord was that God would open a door of opportunity to make eye contact, and for him to just be able to feel comfortable with saying hello.

The day arrived when this “neighbor” was struggling to enter the building from the parking garage.  His arms were full of packages, so he was struggling to enter the door without dropping his goods.   I just ‘happened’ to approach the door as he was endeavoring to enter the building and head for his condo.   I smiled and opened the door for him.

Well, at last, a tiny smile broke out.   The following morning at, you’ll guess the time, 6:00 a.m. he was on the run for Starbucks.  This morning was different, because on his return with his cup of java, he looked over and called out with a stronger hello.

A few days later, again at 6:00 a.m. as he was returning home from Starbucks, I asked him if he enjoyed lattes.  You might be thinking that’s like asking a rabbit if it likes carrots.

He perked right up and said yes, but that he never purchased lattes at Starbucks because that would be a daily habit that was a little too expensive.

Later that day I put a note under his door and told him that we had a latte machine, and my husband and I enjoyed one every morning before he went to work.   I mentioned that the next time he saw me, he could let me know if he’d want a latte some morning.  

The following morning you can guess what happened.  He was on his usual route to that coffee place, glanced over to where I usually stood, and brought up the fact that having a latte would be FABULOUS.   I believe those were his words.  

I told him we usually drank ours around 7:00 a.m.    So we agreed that at 7:00 a.m. the following morning there would be a gentle tap on his front door (all the doors faced the inside hallway of the building); and if he looked down upon opening his door, a latte would be placed in a conspicuous spot next to his door.

Today was the day for the delivery of the “liquid gift.”   There was no appearance of our neighbor heading for you know where this morning.  He presumably was parked in his abode waiting…anticipating…..his first latte delivery. 

All hands on deck!  My husband and I were both up and ready, the latte machine was on, milk being heated and frothed, and the bottle of vanilla flavoring opened.   All the preparations were completed and it was ready for delivery down the hall.

By this time I had the neighbor’s cell number.  I made the delivery and sent a short text……”your latte has been delivered and outside your door.”

Within minutes he texted back that he was thrilled with his FABULOUS LATTE.

This is how it all began.   Sometimes we’d text him to say ‘it’s on its way’ and he’d be standing there waiting for it.  As the weeks passed by, we even got into discussion in the halls as he was sipping his latte.   This delivery went on around four days every week.  It soon turned into months, and by that time we were “liquid friends.”   

His greeting to us, and the smiles in the hall were like a social gathering.   My husband and I use to laugh at all his texts each time he’d receive a latte.   At Christmas time he parked a nice gift package at our door.   This man became a dear friend with whom we still text from time to time.  We’re no longer living in that area, so his morning deliveries came to an abrupt end when we moved away.   On his birthday each year, we phone him with a question:  “would you like a birthday latte?”

One morning after his “liquid delivery” he made the comment to me that he felt ‘spoiled rotten.”   So from then on, we nick-named him S.R. for spoiled rotten.

What a lovely rapport God gave us with this man.  I was able to share my story of why I became a Christian and our friendship continues….even though we moved away a year or so later.

Every once in a while I text him and inquire if there have been any liquid latte deliveries at his door.    Needless-to-say, it has been a real dry spell at his condo.

Before we moved, we told him that we were adopting him.  He agreed, and we wrote up the papers, had him sign them, and we continue to ‘wish’ that we could share more lattes with him.

Being intentional about reaching out to show care for another has wonderful dividends!!   The best is just having him as a friend.

By the way, his nickname for me is Betty Barista!   I can’t imagine why?

Mathew 5:16  “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Ephesians 2:10  “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

2 Corinthians 5:20a “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.”