High Stories: “I Got Too High and Tried to Tip the Barista With a Gift Card From My Wallet”

It was a chill afternoon. I had smoked a little more than intended because I accidentally hit the bong like I was entering the Olympics. Whatever. I was vibing, music on, sunglasses inside, and decided to romanticize my life by walking to the local coffee shop.

Easy mission. Coffee. Maybe a croissant. Smile at a dog. Harmless.

I get to the counter. The barista is sweet. Maybe even hot? I can’t tell. Everything feels like it’s happening underwater, but in a cozy, caffeinated way.

I order. Pay. She smiles and says, “Would you like to leave a tip?”

Now, high-me is generous. Too generous. I reach into my wallet and pull out a random card with zero thought—thinking it’s my debit card or maybe a crisp $5 bill.

Nope. It’s a Sephora gift card.

I slide it into the tip jar with confidence. Not even a second guess.

She pauses. Looks at it. Looks at me.

“Is this... Sephora?”

“Yeah,” I say proudly. “Self-care.”

I immediately realize what I’ve done and try to backpedal but also can’t stop laughing. I offer her actual cash but she’s like, “No, honestly, I kind of want to keep it now.”

I walked home with iced coffee in hand and shame in my heart.