Egg on a Bagel

I say 'Egg on a Bagel' once every morning from Monday to Friday. Actually, I don't even need to say it anymore. The guy at the breakfast cart just looks at me for a fleeting second and knows that is what I want. Its my usual stop on the way to office. I just show my face, he acknowledges and makes his delicious egg on a bagel, wraps it in aluminum foil, which then goes inside a brown paper bag with napkins. I put down my $1.75 followed by an exchange of 'have a nice day' greeting and depart. Occasionally, when the rush is less, we talk about the weather.

One fine morning, it was snowing and the roads were full of slush. I decided not to walk and take a cab to work. I stopped by a random breakfast cart below my building and hesitantly took a hot chocolate and a croissant. But to my frustration, I simply couldn't find a cab. The weather sucked and I was scared of slipping on the snow. I had no choice but to start walking. After 20 minutes of slow trudging over snow, I somehow reached office in one piece. The next morning, I was back to my normal schedule. I stood in front of my breakfast guy. To my surprise, he asked me "Do you want coffee?". I wondered why this sudden question and before I could think more, he says, "I saw you yesterday with coffee walking by". Ah, so there goes it. I must have walked by the same route and he saw me with breakfast from another place! He seemed unhappy with me and added, "I can make coffee too". It was an indication that his expectations had not been met!

I laughed within at his behavior and coulnt stop being amused for a while. I had learnt something new - a guy whose name I dont know expected something from me. He expected me not to betray him for some other competitor down the road. He felt threatened that his breakfast may not be as good as someone else's. He thought of reasons why I chose someone else over him that day. The world is strange - so many times, I have doubted other people for similar reasons. Seldom have I thought that other people's actions have nothing to do with me.