That wasn't enough coffee
It was a nondescript summer of 2006–2007, can’t recollect, but the incident has stayed in my heart for longer than we would think. As I think of it, the remorse that grips me is the fact that I never remembered to click a pic, or if I did, I can’t find it now. (Below is a reference and the closest match to the cafe).
I was exploring Helsinki on foot. Had been on the stroll for a couple of hours after my breakfast at Holiday Inn. The air was crisp and comfortably cold. Maybe I had strayed towards the outskirts. Suddenly from nowhere, an inviting fragrance of freshly baked cinnamon buns hit my nostrils. As the cinnamon-filled air guided me towards the cafe, I found a quaint wooden cottage painted the typical Scandinavian red “punamulta” or “falun red” at the end of the small garden. There was an old-fashioned wooden swing outside, bunches of vibrant spring flowers adorned the pathway and the cafe was spewing timid smoke.
I opened the door to a small cafe filled with the fragrance of mungki, cinnamon buns, rolls, and coffee. It was a small case managed by the daughter, mum, and dad. They baked everything fresh there.
I ordered a cinnamon roll and coffee.
“4/5th Milk and 1/5th Coffee”, I said. Readers who are used to travelling to Finland know why the specificity.
I came out, sat in the swing, and enjoyed the cinnamon roll and coffee. I hadn’t had that feeling before. The air outside was refreshing, couldn’t resist the urge to spend some more time here.
Went inside and ordered one more coffee, had a bit of small talk and she handed me the coffee. The only thing is this time she didn’t want to take money for the coffee.
I was surprised.
She said, “Last time it was 1/5th coffee and 4/5th milk, there wasn’t enough coffee !”.
Was it honesty? Was it customer service? I never found out but the Finnish way of life was changing me a little at a time.