I watched the owner of a community cafe deliver a donut to a group that sat around a timber coffee table. He held out the donut so everyone in the group could see and said, “The donut”, as in, ‘here is the donut one of you ordered.

But no one replied. He outstretched the arm arm holding the plate further. “Donut,” he said, stern this time. Still, the group just stared at him blankly.

Eventually, he withdrew the donut from the circle. And as the plate passed a woman next to him, she turned to him. “I ordered a donut.”

“Well, this is probably for you then,” the owner said, calmly.

“Oh,” she said. “Did no one else order a donut?” She scanned the circle. But everyone just shook their heads. “You’re probably right,” she said to the owner, looking up at him.

The owner lowered the donut then walked off.