I am Ben Folds. No, seriously.

You may have heard me talk about how I'm Ben Folds. Crazy, you say? Oh no, my friend. In his own words: "and they gave me some coffee, but they didn't charge me..." I've long suspected that Ben Folds and I live parallel lives, but this has really been the clincher. I get free coffee so often! I must be Ben Folds.

As if the countless free cups of coffee weren't proof enough, today I got evidence beyond a doubt. Gretchen, Pay, and I were walking near Chelsea, and as I crossed the road I saw a Starbucks card in the street.

"Ooh, a Starbucks card! Should I pick it up??" I asked.

"May as well, you never know if there could be some money on it," said Gretchen.

So I picked it up, and I held it like it was dirty... because it was.... and we began to look for a Starbucks. Sure enough, since we were in NYC, we came across a Starbucks about thirty seconds later. I had to use the bathroom, so Gretchen and Pay waited in line while I did.

When I came out, they were both smirking.

"Guess how much money is on it."

"37 cents."

"Higher." They were both laughing at me, I could tell.

"A dollar."

"No, higher."

"Ten dollars??"

"Higher!"

Oh wait... maybe they're smiling cuz they're happy, not cuz they're making fun of me??

"Twenty dollars?!?!"

"NINETY-FIVE DOLLARS."

Holy. Cow.

I was sure they were wrong. They were sure they were wrong. Who puts $95 on a gift card? Who puts $95 on a gift card and then drops it in the street?!

We didn't really believe it was true. Later in the afternoon we made our way to another Starbucks and each ordered a drink. I paid with my new card and asked for a receipt. I nervously looked at the balance... $86 remaining. It wasn't a sick joke!!!

Right after we got the initial balance report, Gretchen said, "How much does God love you!? He is taking care of you!"

I think it's easy to chalk it up to luck, or to being Ben Folds. I mean, I still will argue pretty adamantly that Ben and I are the same person; but this went beyond that. There's something about being unemployed in a big and expensive city, wondering how you're going to pay for basic things like coffee-- and then finding a "random" gift card in the street-- that makes you realize that it can't just be luck.

God loves me a whole lot and is taking care of me in all the details, even down to free coffee.

When my original job plan fell through and I was still moving to NYC, I said to some of my friends that I was prepared to see God provide for me in exciting and humbling ways. I guess a $95 Starbucks card in the street isn't really that humbling; but it sure is exciting. Another reminder that God cares about the details of our lives.

I wonder if Ben Folds thinks about that every time he gets free coffee.....