When Coffee Turns Into “Who Sent You This?”
When Coffee Turns Into “Who Sent You This?”
…and the funny truth behind our handwritten notes
Before anybody thinks I'm picking on anyone here, let me say this loud and clear: you’re human. I get it.
I’ve been in situations that made my stomach drop and my brain flip into full investigation mode in under five seconds. So trust me—you’re not alone. The reason I’m sharing this isn’t because I need to vent; it’s because this is a totally normal human reaction… and honestly, it’s a little hilarious when you look back on it.
So I’ll start with my own story, so you really understand where I’m coming from.
The Mystery Card That Almost Started a Dateline Episode
Back when Fred and I first moved back to Ohio—after being bounced from upstate New York to Ohio to Illinois to Indiana, back to New York and finally back here again—I was chilling on the couch.
I heard the mailman, so naturally, I went out to grab the mail. One envelope is addressed to Fred. No return address. No cute sticker. Nothing. Just his name.
Naturally, I open the mail, because I open all the mail.
Inside is a sweet little message saying how much someone missed him, and at the bottom it says “♥ me”—a drawn heart and the word me.
Not love, but heart + me.
And I was like: Oh. Hell. No.
I got off that couch with zero hesitation and went straight to Fred. I walk over to him, take a deep breath, trying to stay calm. He looks at the card and goes:
“Oh, babe, thank you for the card.”
I said, “I didn’t send you this damn card.”
He laughs and goes, “Stop. Yes, you did. You’re just being sweet and don’t want to admit it.”
I said, “I swear on the kids, this card is NOT from me,” and I’m looking him dead in the eyes.
Now he’s rereading it again and again, and I can see the worry creeping onto his face. I’m standing there with my hand on my hip giving him that look—the one that says, you better tell me who sent this and tell me fast.
At this point, the only thing holding me together is the fact that he genuinely believes I’m out here being romantic. Which is cute. But I would never mail a card to our own house. I’d just hand it to him.
Meanwhile, that little “♥ me” at the bottom? That’s the kind of thing that starts fights, breakups, and full Dateline episodes.
My Brain Is Not Sunday-School Approved
Let me explain something:
My thoughts when I’m mad are not Sunday-school approved.
I’m a protector. And I swear, in a past life, I was in one of those old-time mob families. That gives you an idea of what runs through my head when someone disrespects us.
So we’re both standing there—confused, suspicious, and irritated—when Fred suddenly goes:
“Get in the car.”
I’m like, “For what?”
“We’re finding out where this card came from.”
That’s when he starts telling me about this guy named Jeff, who used to work with him at the railroad. The one he had to investigate. The one who got fired because Fred found what management told him to look for.
Fred had heard plenty of stories—from guys at work and from Jeff himself—about how chaotic, dramatic, and petty Jeff’s wife could be. Absolutely the type to pull something like this just to stir the pot. Other managers Fred called that day basically confirmed the same thing.
So instead of driving around to every store that sells cards, we tracked down where Jeff’s wife worked. The postmark was from Michigan, so we drove straight to a Kroger in Michigan to see if they sold that exact card or anything close.
No return address. No matching card. No Hallmark. No nothing.
Eventually, we had to give up. Someone out there sent that card just to ruffle some feathers—and boy, did it ruffle mine.
But because Fred truly believed, even for a moment, that the card was from me, it softened me just enough to let it go.
Mystery unsolved. Marriage intact. Mob-wife alter ego temporarily holstered.
Fast Forward to Iron Bean: When Coffee Causes Questions
Now fast forward to today—this is where Iron Bean and our handwritten notes come in.
Recently, a gentleman received a gift from Iron Bean Coffee. Sweet gesture. Thoughtful niece. Totally innocent.
Except… he didn’t know it was from his niece.
He gets the package, but his wife is the one who opens the box. At first, she’s probably thinking:
“Oh, my husband bought us coffee.”
And then about two seconds later:
Wait. Hold up. Somebody else sent him coffee.
Then she sees the handwritten note from Sierra.
Now, Sierra signs her notes with a heart because our owl, Nori, has a heart in her eye. It’s our brand. It’s been our thing for years.
But if you don’t know that, it looks exactly like:
♥ Sierra
So this poor man calls us, voice a little frantic, telling me he received two bags he didn’t order and wants to pay for them—which, if you speak Married Couple, is code for:
“My wife is looking at this note sideways and needs answers right now.”
He even told me she was ready to throw coffee at someone.
I looked up the order, found out it was a gift from his niece, called him back, and prayed his wife wasn’t in the background breaking things or already driving to the Iron Bean warehouse to kick Sierra’s ass.
Thankfully, he said:
“Oh, that makes sense, that’s my niece.”
I could feel the relief through the phone. I sent screenshots so he’d have proof, and hopefully that calmed everything down on their end.
This Isn’t the First Time…
And just so you know, this isn’t even the first time something like this has happened.
Way back in the beginning of Iron Bean, the same thing went down:
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Someone gifted coffee
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The person receiving it didn’t know
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A handwritten note showed up
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Boom—confusion, questions, side-eye, the whole situation
We even tossed around the idea of printing something like “Packaged by ____” on the outside of the box.
But honestly? That’s just not us. It feels cold and corporate.
It takes the heart right out of it.
Sometimes you’ve got to keep your heart afloat with humor and caffeine.
That’s who we are.
How to Avoid a “Who Sent You This?” Moment
No disrespect at all to anyone who’s been through real trust issues—those are not a joke.
But in this situation, it was innocent, fixable, and honestly something worth laughing about later.
So here’s what I’m saying:
1. If you send coffee as a gift…
Add a clear line in the note:
“This is a gift from [Your Name].”
2. If you’re married…
To avoid anyone having a “who the F sent this?” moment, put your spouse’s name on the order too.
“From: Sarah & Mike”
“From: Your Favorite Daughter-In-Law (Don’t Worry, I’m Not Secret)”
Little things. Big difference.
It solves 99% of the confusion.
Our Promise (and a Little Bit of Sass)
At the end of the day, if we ever accidentally cause a tense moment between two lovebirds, we’re genuinely sorry.
We never want to be the reason someone is side-eyeing a bag of beans across the kitchen.
However…
We’re not sorry that you still got:
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Damn good coffee
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A handwritten note
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And a story you’ll probably laugh about later
once everyone stops threatening to throw bags of coffee across the room.
P.S.
Want to send coffee on purpose (with no mystery attached)?
Send an Iron Bean Coffee gift box and don’t forget to sign your name… maybe with a heart. 😉
To whoever mailed that mystery card to Fred all those years ago:
Your plan didn’t work.
And next time?
If you’re going to try to cause drama, at least have the decency to grab a Hallmark card.
Have some taste.
