Life has taken us in different directions many times, but it has always brought us back together. As if it knew we still have something to give each other.
We've known each other for years and I'm grateful that they are part of my life. There's no competition, envy or showing off between us. We support each other, offer our shoulder to lean on and respect one another. Sometimes, it's enough for someone to say: »I understand you.« If the right friend says this, the words are never empty.
Tanja is from Maribor. She's been working at one of Maribor's petrol stations for quite a few years. Many would say it's just a job; the till, the receipts, fuel, coffee, and people rushing on their way. But for Tanja, it's not just a job, as she likes the people who come through the door.
She excels at sales. Not because she's pushy, but quite the opposite. Tanja is a good judge of character. She knows who's tired and who's barely holding it together. For her, sales aren't just about the transaction at the till. People come first.
It happened on Saturday, when Tanja was ten hours into her twelve-hour shift at work. After so much time, the fatigue isn't just felt in your legs, but also in your head, and furthermore, it's reflected on your face and patience. It was just before the petrol station closed. That part of the day when you're just counting down the minutes.
A young woman entered then. She came in quickly and was a little out of breath.
»And a coffee token, please,« she said.
She started looking for change. First in her wallet, then in her bag, then in her pockets. That awkward moment when you're standing at the checkout and realise you don't have enough for something as commonplace as a coffee.
I've had enough.
»Aha... Nothing, then I won't,« she said quietly.
She didn't ask. She didn't make a fuss. She simply withdrew into herself as one does when they feel awkward about things that should be small but, at that moment, aren't.
Tanja could have said, »Alright.« She could have carried on with her work. She was tired and would have every right not to get involved in the situation.
But she didn't do it.
Segla is a common surname in Slovene. Without further context, it is impossible to know if »Segla« is a proper name or a common noun. However, based on the sentence structure and common phrases, it is most likely a proper name. Therefore, a literal translation would be: "She reached for her money and said: 'I will.'" If "Segla" is indeed a common noun, it would mean something like "handle", "bar", or "lever". In that case, the sentence would make less sense in isolation. **Therefore, assuming "Segla" is a proper name, the most probable translation is:** Segla reached for her money and said: "I will."
The young woman looked at him: »No, no, you don't have to.«
»It's fine now,« said Tanja. »Make it coffee.«
She paid for it.
She made no fuss about it. Just one coffee. But sometimes one coffee isn't just one coffee.
Sometimes such a gesture is proof that someone has seen you. That you're not just another person in the queue. That your embarrassment wasn't overlooked. That there are still people who notice the small cracks in a person that most don't.
The young woman took a token. She just said, »Thank you.« But it wasn't an ordinary Thank you. He was that Thank you, which comes from somewhere deeper. Perhaps she'd had a bad day. Perhaps she was counting her last coins. Or perhaps that coffee was the only thing that day that gave her the feeling that the world wasn't entirely cold.
Tanja couldn't have known this. And that's precisely the point.
We never know what someone is carrying with them when they walk through the door. We don't know who is barely holding themselves together. We don't know who we can restore faith in humanity to with just one small gesture.
So help isn't always something big. Sometimes help is not walking past. Not turning your gaze away. Not humiliating someone when they're short for a coffee. To remain human even after ten hours of work.
Because kindness is never really just about how much we give. Sometimes it's about not leaving someone alone at a time when they're already finding things difficult enough. Tanja didn't know that young woman. She didn't know her story and would probably never meet her again. But for a few minutes, she became proof that the world still has warmth. And perhaps that is the greatest thing one person can give another: the feeling that on an ordinary day, there is someone who cares.
Zala Krupljan, 10 April 2026
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