She accepted his invitation and together they went and sat down in a small coffee shop. He was very nervous and did not say much, which made her feel a little uncomfortable when the young man finally spoke and ask the waiter to bring him some salt. He then took the salt and poured some into his coffee.
Many people began to stare at what the young man had done. His face began to turn red, but he continued to pour the salt into his cup of coffee. The young woman then asked him why did you put salt in your coffee. He then went on to tell her that when he was a young boy he lived near the ocean and how he loved playing in the salty water. So each time he has coffee he puts salt in it and it reminds him of his childhood days of living near the ocean and how much he missed his home town and his late parents too.
After listening to his story her eyes began to fill with tears. She was so touched by his story that seemed to come deep from inside his heart. She though a man who can tell about his feelings of being home sick and his inner feelings about his late parents has the kind of compassion that she just admired very much.
As time went on they began to date and she discovered just how kind-hearted, warm, caring, and what a loving person he was. She loved his sweet love words and love phrases that he always said to her. She thought how she almost missed out on getting together with him if it was not for the salty coffee. This story then became like so many other stories. They would go on to marry and would live happily for many years to come. Every time she made him a cup of coffee she would put salt into it as she knew he would always want it that way.
Thirty years went on by and he passed away and he left her a letter that she would read. It said, My dearest wife, I hope you will forgive me as I once told you a lie. It was the only lie I ever told you. Do you recall the very first time we had met. I was quite nervous with you sitting with me at the coffee shop. I wanted some sugar but instead I said salt. It was a mistake and also it was hard for me to admit it, so I just went along with it and let you think I really wanted salt instead of sugar, I was too embarrassed to tell you that part. And now that I am dying I need to tell you about this sad romantic story. I really did not like salt in my coffee, but I had salt in my coffee ever since we had met and I always knew I would never have any regrets or feel sorry for what I had done. Having you as my wife gave me the greatest happiness I had ever experienced in my whole life.
If I was able to live even a little longer I would still use salt in my coffee a second time and I would continue to love you as my wife even if I had to live a life again with the lie of drinking coffee with salt added to it. Tears filled up in her eyes as she thought some day somewhere someone may ask her just what does coffee taste like with salt added into it. She knew just what she would say. She would simply reply, it is so sweet.
And that is the end of this heartrending love story.
