Ahmad’s bakery and Venice coffee
a funny story has been widely shared online, supposedly told by the owner of a bakery in a working-class neighborhood in cairo. he says he has spent almost his entire life in the bakery, and its smell has become a part of him. over the years, he has watched generations grow up and remembers many faces, including an old man who wore respectable but old-fashioned clothes.
the old man used to come every day around 2:00 p.m. he would stand away from the queue with his hands in his pockets and watch others buying bread, but he never joined the line. it looked like he was rubbing coins in his pocket. he always left without buying anything. his face showed hunger, but he could not afford even a few loaves of bread.
one day, the baker decided to help him without hurting his dignity. he called the old man with a big smile and congratulated him, saying he was the 100th customer of the day and had won two loaves of bread and a bag of dates. the man shyly replied that he had not bought anything, but the baker told him it did not matter and handed him the food. the old man accepted it with trembling hands, tears in his eyes, and a faint smile on his face.
to protect people’s pride, the baker continued holding fake competitions, sometimes to celebrate the bakery’s anniversary and sometimes for other reasons. gradually, widows, students, and poor laborers started coming to receive free bread.
one day, a woman saw the baker giving bread to a student. she quietly placed some money on the table and said it was her contribution to the “100th customer” competition. after that, the baker put up a sign on the shop door that said, “today, 50 loaves are available for free for the first customers.”
over time, the idea grew. some people began buying ten loaves and donating the same number to the poor. even children and workers joined in supporting the free bread initiative. the bakery became a symbol of charity while preserving the dignity of those in need.
however, the entire story is completely fictional. it was adapted from a similar story written more than ten years ago about a café in venice, where the owner supposedly did the same charitable act.
the writer once visited venice and asked a venetian friend to show him that café. the friend laughed and said it was an old myth. he explained that venetians are known for their love of business and thrift, which may have inspired shakespeare’s character shylock in the merchant of venice. he added that free coffee is neither part of venetian culture nor their customs.
