“待用咖啡”的故事
人生百味
This story will warm you better than a coffee on a cold winter day：
We enter a little coffeehouse with a friend of mine and give our order. While we’re 1）approaching our table two people come in and they go to the counter—
“Five coffees， please. Two of them for us and three suspended.”
They pay for their order， take the two and leave. I ask my friend：“What are those ‘suspended’ coffees ？”
“Wait for it and you will see.”
Some more people enter. Two girls ask for one coffee each， pay and go. The next order was for seven coffees and it was made by three lawyers—three for them and four“suspended”. While I still wonder what’s the deal with those “suspended” coffees， I enjoy the sunny weather and the beautiful view towards the square in front of the café. Suddenly a man dressed in shabby clothes who looks like a beggar comes in through the door and kindly asks：
“Do you have a suspended coffee？”
It’s simple—people pay in advance for a coffee meant for someone who can not afford a warm 2）beverage. The tradition with the suspended coffees started in 3）Naples， but it has spread all over the world and in some places you can order not only a suspended coffee， but also a sandwich or a whole meal.
這個故事會比寒冷冬日裏的一杯咖啡更能溫暖你心：
我和朋友走進一間小咖啡館點了我們喜愛的咖啡。正當我們走向自己的桌子時，兩個人走了進來。他們走到櫃台前——
“請給我五杯咖啡。其中兩杯交給我們，三杯待用。”
他們付了五杯咖啡的錢，端著兩杯咖啡走了。我問朋友道：“什麼是‘待用’咖啡？”
“等一下你會明白了。”
又有一些人走了進來。兩個女孩各自要了一杯咖啡，付帳走了。隨後，有人點了七杯咖啡，下單的是三位律師——他們一人一杯，另有四杯“待用”。在我一邊依然疑惑於“待用”咖啡為何物時，我一邊欣賞著咖啡館前廣場上的明媚陽光以及美麗冬色。突然間，一位衣衫襤褸看上去像是個乞丐的老者從門外走了進來，他輕聲地問服務員：
“請問你們有待用咖啡嗎？”
事情其實很簡單——有人提前買了咖啡存在咖啡館，讓那些付不起錢的人能夠享受一杯溫暖的咖啡。這個待用咖啡的傳統始於意大利那不勒斯，但現在已經傳遍全世界。在有些地方，你不僅可以買待用咖啡，而且可以買待用三明治或者一整份晚餐。