A Coffee Cup

"He sits there everyday, every single day, at that same spot in the middle of the park drinking from the same coffee cup. I don't even have a coffee cup. I think I'll take his. Yes, I will steal his cup when he's not paying attention. And I will use it for my coffee. Yes, that's it MY COFFEE will forever be in that cup. I will take it. I WILL! WHO'S GONNA STOP ME?!! HA HA HA HA HA!!!"1

The man drinking from the coffee cup wasn't hurting anyone. He sat in that park simply because it was peaceful and it aloud him to read and drink his coffee while looking at the beautiful trees and landscape around him. He sat at stone table in the middle of that park, one of those tables that have the chess board carved into them. Every day he would sit and drink his coffee while reading the newspaper. He would occasionally play chess. He would sit there for about 2 to 3 hours each morning. He always used that cup because he thought the cup brought him luck. He had bought it from a poor man in front of a Laundromat about 5 years ago.2

"That cup is mine. Yes, it's the perfect crime. Who would suspect me of thievery? It was my cup in the first place and I want it back. I will kill for it if I must. The cup is mine. MINE MINE MINE!!!!!"3

The man took a sip from the cup and put it down and opened his paper to read some local news. At that moment a man ran toward the table at full speed. Reaching for the cup. He reached his arms out as far as he could while running toward it. He came so close to grabbing it, but missed. As he grabbed for it, with an inch to go, the man reached forward and took a sip from the cup. The man trying to take it fell flat on his face. He got up and ran away.4

"If you ever try that again, I'll kill you." the owner of the cup yelled loudly but in a normal tone.5

An hour or so went by and the man obsessed with the cup came back. Hiding behind a tree looking at the man drinking from the cup, he kept thinking about how much he wanted that cup. He couldn't get the cup out of his head. It wasn't special or anything. It was a plain blue cup with nothing on it. It had a cracked handle but that was it. 6

The man once again waited until the cup was set on the table. As soon as it was he ran toward it with open arms. At the moment he popped out from behind the tree, the owner of the cup stood up and reached into his pocket pulling out a gun. As the man came closer, the owner of the cup aimed and said, "Don’t". Still the man ran toward him. The owner fired at the man hitting him in the leg. “I said don’t.” the owner said. 7

“I couldn’t help it. I want that cup. It was mine first. You should give it back to me. You don't know the power that lye's in that cup. I want it. Give it to me now.” The man replied8

“Do you remember what I said to you when you first tried to take it?” The owner said totally disregarding the man's last statement.9

“Yes, you said you’d kill me. But if that cup can not be mine, then I will never be complete.” Just as the man replied he was shot in the head and killed instantly.  10

Everyone in the park scattered when they heard the shots. The owner picked up his coffee cup and took one last sip. He reached down and pulled out the mans wallet. To his surprise the man had about a thousand dollars in cash. The owner took the money looked at the cup and said: “I knew you were lucky.” As he walked away he couldn't help but think of what the man said about the cup completing him. He thought to himself, "This cup does complete me."11

He exited the park as the police sirens sped toward the scene. He was gone before they got there. That was the last day he would ever enjoy a peaceful cup of coffee in that park. He was never seen in that area again.12