Autumn approaching

The other day, as I was getting into my car to drive to work (for a change) I noticed to my astonishment a layer of thickish ice on my windscreen. And it's only mid-September! What's wrong here? Just the other day I was wearing a t-shirt and now we've got sub-zero temperatures all of a sudden?

Anyway, leaving that to one side I'd like to tell you what happened to me today. This is what it must have looked like to anyone watching (I'm sure nobody did): well-dressed young man with not particularly nice hair walks into what is a modern kitchen store and a café. He orders something from the young woman who's busy sorting vegetables (!). After a brief conversation she lifts off the coffee bean container from the grinder and pours beans until a take-away cup is full. The young man reaches for wallet but quickly removes his right hand. He smiles, says something and leaves the store.

Here's what happened: I was searching for a café to buy some coffee beans to go with the arabica beans I already have at home. She looked puzzled at me when I asked to buy some beans but asked whether it'd be ok if she put them in a paper cup with a lid. Of course it was. So she pours the cup full and as I'm about to take out my wallet she says it's free of charge. Quite surprised I thanked her and left. Outside I wondered why she wouldn't take my money. Letting my ego get the upper hand I instantly though, "I must have really charmed her!" before thinking as I continued towards the metro station "then why did I leave immediately?". I guess she either had no clue how much to charge for the beans and/or didn't have the right button for this type of purchase on her cash register.