Random Acts One and Two
One
A woman had been standing outside talking to a scruffier-looking man for a few minutes and then she came in to buy bread. As she was filling her order, the other man, who was in his 40s and just looking a little run-down, came in and got a small cup of coffee.
As I bagged the woman's bread, she looked down at the packages of huge chocolate chip oatmeal cookies we make every day and said
"Give me one of those too!"
I did, and she paid for her stuff and picked up the bag of cookies and walked over to the man. She handed him the cookies and said,
"Here, take these home to your kids and give them a treat."
The man was obviously surprised, but he got this truly sweet look on his face and just said softly,
"Thank you. Really, I mean it, thank you. God Bless you."
The woman smiled at him and replied,
"Good luck!" then left out the side door and the man went back out to the bus stop.
And I thought to myself,
'You just witnessed one of those random acts of kindness that bumper stickers are always talking about. Wow...'
Honestly, I was floored.
Two
It is Thanksgiving morning. I am grumpy and tired from lack of sleep and disappointed that W does not seem to find watching the Macy's parade the same big deal it was when I was a kid and that the parade now seems to be one long sucky commercial for the station's daytime soaps and product and business placement thinly disguised as floats.
Let's face it, I am also cranky because this will be my first major holiday pretty much ever without W as I am walking him over to his dad's soon to have dinner at my former sister-in-law's. While I am not unhappy about missing the dinner, it is depressing not to smell things cooking and have a turkey to check and a table to set. I am going to a friend's for my own dinner, but let's face it, it just is not the same.
I have to get my laundry done. I have two pairs of jeans left that fit even a little bit. Working at the bakery is hard, hot work and I have lost wieght and haven't got the money just now to replace them. But I have to do laundry on Thanksgiving morning, since I am out of clothes to wear and my 'bakery jeans' will almost go in and make a cup of coffee all on their own.
So I trek down to the laundry room, grateful that the overhang of the back porches and outer stairways of the building shelter me from the slushy snow and load up the laundry. While I am there, one of my neighbors whom I know to nod and say hi to, but not more than that comes in with a small bundle of place mats and a tablecloth.
We make polite chit chat for a minute about the holiday and about the Downey softner plastic ball thingie that I have and then I wish her a nice holiday and tell her that if I am not back to pull my other laundry from the dryer when she needs it, that she is welcome to take it out and just toss it into my basket.
I go back up and W helps me make sweet potatoes with strusel topping for tonight and then we walk over to his dad's. I dont really want to let him go- I want to take him back with me. But I dont, and I am tired and discouraged walking the few blocks home. The sun hasnt reached this side of the street and there is ice under the snow on the unshoveled walks and I have to be careful not to trip in a rut, even in my boots.
Coming home, I let myself into the courtyard in back and head to the laundry room. When I come in, I see that the dryer is still going, but with one change.
My neighbor has taken out all of my laundry. She has taken it all out, FOLDED it all, and placed it neatly in my basket. It is not wrinkled or damp. It is warm and smells good and it is all folded.Once again, I am beyond surprised.
Thank you, neighbor.
xxxooo bakerygirl
A woman had been standing outside talking to a scruffier-looking man for a few minutes and then she came in to buy bread. As she was filling her order, the other man, who was in his 40s and just looking a little run-down, came in and got a small cup of coffee.
As I bagged the woman's bread, she looked down at the packages of huge chocolate chip oatmeal cookies we make every day and said
"Give me one of those too!"
I did, and she paid for her stuff and picked up the bag of cookies and walked over to the man. She handed him the cookies and said,
"Here, take these home to your kids and give them a treat."
The man was obviously surprised, but he got this truly sweet look on his face and just said softly,
"Thank you. Really, I mean it, thank you. God Bless you."
The woman smiled at him and replied,
"Good luck!" then left out the side door and the man went back out to the bus stop.
And I thought to myself,
'You just witnessed one of those random acts of kindness that bumper stickers are always talking about. Wow...'
Honestly, I was floored.
Two
It is Thanksgiving morning. I am grumpy and tired from lack of sleep and disappointed that W does not seem to find watching the Macy's parade the same big deal it was when I was a kid and that the parade now seems to be one long sucky commercial for the station's daytime soaps and product and business placement thinly disguised as floats.
Let's face it, I am also cranky because this will be my first major holiday pretty much ever without W as I am walking him over to his dad's soon to have dinner at my former sister-in-law's. While I am not unhappy about missing the dinner, it is depressing not to smell things cooking and have a turkey to check and a table to set. I am going to a friend's for my own dinner, but let's face it, it just is not the same.
I have to get my laundry done. I have two pairs of jeans left that fit even a little bit. Working at the bakery is hard, hot work and I have lost wieght and haven't got the money just now to replace them. But I have to do laundry on Thanksgiving morning, since I am out of clothes to wear and my 'bakery jeans' will almost go in and make a cup of coffee all on their own.
So I trek down to the laundry room, grateful that the overhang of the back porches and outer stairways of the building shelter me from the slushy snow and load up the laundry. While I am there, one of my neighbors whom I know to nod and say hi to, but not more than that comes in with a small bundle of place mats and a tablecloth.
We make polite chit chat for a minute about the holiday and about the Downey softner plastic ball thingie that I have and then I wish her a nice holiday and tell her that if I am not back to pull my other laundry from the dryer when she needs it, that she is welcome to take it out and just toss it into my basket.
I go back up and W helps me make sweet potatoes with strusel topping for tonight and then we walk over to his dad's. I dont really want to let him go- I want to take him back with me. But I dont, and I am tired and discouraged walking the few blocks home. The sun hasnt reached this side of the street and there is ice under the snow on the unshoveled walks and I have to be careful not to trip in a rut, even in my boots.
Coming home, I let myself into the courtyard in back and head to the laundry room. When I come in, I see that the dryer is still going, but with one change.
My neighbor has taken out all of my laundry. She has taken it all out, FOLDED it all, and placed it neatly in my basket. It is not wrinkled or damp. It is warm and smells good and it is all folded.Once again, I am beyond surprised.
Thank you, neighbor.
xxxooo bakerygirl
posted by ReesieKitty at 11:30 PM
2 Comments:
I like your writing style. What does xxxooo mean?
thanks! It means hugs and kisses. Since I dont know any of you, I feel safe in being affectionate towards my readership. ;) Actually, I feel fairly affectionate towards anyone who takes the time to read my meanderings.
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