It was January — a cold, peaceful winter, and the beginning of a new year.

Marcellus walked through the park, holding a warm cup of coffee in his hand. He soon sat down on a bench and placed the cup beside him. As he gazed at the snowbanks spread across the landscape, everything felt calm and still.

A moment later, another man approached and sat on the same bench. He, too, set his coffee down — right next to Marcellus’s cup.

Without looking, Marcellus absentmindedly picked up a cup and took a sip. His face twisted in disgust — the coffee was bitter. That’s when he realized he had grabbed the wrong one.