Member-only story
Are You Leaving a Tip for That Cup of Coffee?
This decision could change your life
“”
This was the first line in a recent ABC News story. It is hard to believe. It is sickening. It is real.
Aside from the obvious rage, mental health issues and other factors involved in this particular case, it does lead us to think about how we got here.
How did human life become so dispensable to many? Drivers pull out guns from their cars to kill people who cut them off while switching lanes. Customers beat others at the store over arguments about limited Christmas gifts.
One life, gone or traumatized over nonsense — taken over a moment of irrational anger. A life that can never be returned. In this particular case, the pregnant woman’s life was spared. She suffered major injuries, including a ruptured lung, but she survived.
I wonder how she will be in the future — the next time she orders a cup of coffee or a smoothie or a pizza. Will she tremble if she does not have enough for a generous tip?