The Only Coffee Shop in Town

I walked into the only coffee shop in this run-down town in a desperate search for an internet connection. I wasn't expecting much; the town is a fishing and logging community - not the type of people I would expect to frequent a coffee shop. My initial reaction was surprise. It looked like a coffee shop I would have found anywhere else. The lighting seemed dim to me, but leather sofas, small tables and chairs, a fireplace all set up just as I would expect in any coffee shop. I ordered a drink and sat down.

Then, I started looking around. First, at the little table placard they gave me to find me when my drink was ready. It had a verse from Psalms 23. Then, at a sign hanging from the ceiling amidst a bunch of stars which said something about God in the heavens. Then, at a sing hanging over the door leading to the connecting business - a Christian bookstore. Or, at the big basket of bibles near the door.

Hmmm, very interesting. Not quite like any other coffee shop I had ever been to. I pulled out my laptop and connected to the internet. If nothing else, I was successfully connected to the internet. I started checking my email and catching up on all the news I had missed over the last week.

The lady brought my drink over and I started sipping it and observing the other patrons. I started hearing bits of their conversations and noticing what they were doing. They were holding bible studies, reading the bible, and discussing God's involvement in their daily lives. I can't say that I have ever been to a coffee shop quite like this one.

I went back to reading the news and catching up with my email. I was writing one to my friend when I noticed that a guy in a wheelchair had rolled up to my table. I looked up when he cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be a bug," he says " but I noticed that you are wearing red to white to green."

I looked down at my shirt and, sure enough, I have on my Rainbow Brite sweatshirt, complete with rainbows up and down the sleeves and on my chest. Not quite red to white to green, but close. I looked back at the guy, wondering where this was going.

"The bible says that red to white to green are the colors of the devil, and you're going to hell" he continues.

Surely, he must be joking. Is this really happening? Am I being told that I'm going to hell in the middle of a coffee shop by some random stranger in a wheelchair because I'm wearing rainbows? Surely, this isn't happening.

I looked around and noticed a girl about my age sitting across the coffee shop, laughing. I looked at her, looked back at the guy, and started laughing myself. I couldn't help it. I couldn't believe that I had been told that I was going to hell from a random stranger in a wheelchair because I was wearing a Rainbow Brite sweatshirt.

My laughing didn't helped the situation. He continued to reiterate his belief that I was going to hell because the bible said that red to white to green were the colors of the devil and I was wearing those colors. I refocused my attention on my computer, laughing the whole time, until the guy wheeled himself away.

After that, I quickly finished up my email and headed out, thinking that I desperately needed to find another coffee shop. No such luck, as this appears to be the only one in town. I guess I'll be frequenting the Christian coffee shop for my internet fix.