Human Kindness is Not Dead
Last night was horrible, with a dash of some kindness, but ended on a nicely bizarre note that reinforced my general understanding that not all people are evil. Some of the kindnesses I throw out into the universe (letting the guy with one gallon of milk cut in line at Ralph's, waving the other car to "go ahead" at a four-way stop, etc.) grew together into a huge clump of good karma and hit me straight on. And so the story goes...
I've been feeling icky the last few days--most likely the return of my sinus infection from January. The couch has been supporting me horizontally for over 48 hours and the floor is littered with snot rags. Not a good sight. I could hardly stand myself any more and at about six, I decided to walk to the video place to grab a flick. I knew sleeping would be scarce that night, as I had been snoozing on and off all day. I fought the head rush as I stood up, took the three block walk at a leisurely pace and decided on season one (disc two) of Grey's Anatomy. A quick flash of the ID, three bucks and I was on my way. I headed to the grocery store across the street for some juice and bananas and realized, mid-checkout, that my wallet was gone. Oh shit. Actually, fuck is more like it. I retraced my steps--each isle of the store, under each car parked between the video and grocery store, the entire video store and back THREE TIMES. I left my phone number with anyone who would take it. I was freaking out. Eventually, I gave up and walked home with my video, feeling sullen, stupid and even more sickly. Once home, the calling of banks and credit card companies ensued. Everything was cancelled and reopened, shifted and confirmed, verified and restablished. I then made a list of all the shitty ass things I would have to do come Monday to get my life back in order, including going to the DMV for a new liscense. Ugh! By nine, I decided "it is what it is" and started watching the DVD. That was the horrible part.
Around ten, a knock came at the door. Believe it friends! A nice older man stood there with a smile and my wallet. Before you go parental on me and list all of the crazies who could have been at my door or the dooms-day scenarios that could have played out, I had Fang on my side and he could have attacked if the situation presented itself. Plus I have this romantic idea that I could fight, scream, tear and kick my way out of an assult. Statistically speaking, I'm taller and heavier than the average American male anyway. For once, the numbers work for me. Back to the old man--he explained that his son had found my wallet in one of the grocery store isles, and, when he opened it, he noticed my address and saw that I lived a block from his dad. He took it to daddy-dearest, who then walked it over to my place. Everything was there, from the cash, to my library card. I about shat myself with glee. I stammered for words of thanks and the nice man explained that he, too, had lost his wallet in the past and knew how I was feeling. But some nice stranger had saved the day, as this man did for me, and delivered his wallet in one piece. That was the kindness part.
As if all this activity wasn't enough, the nice man said, "I have something for you," and pulled a book from behind his back. "Read the front," he said. The first page was dedicated to me, with something like, Dear Sarah, what an odd way to meet, if I were only a few years younger, la, la, blah. This guy brings me my wallet AND a copy of his latest book! That was the nicely bizarre part.
This morning, I wrote the nice man a thank you note and sent it off to the PO Box address listed on his website. Now, what he did is something I would do without a second thought. It's in my nature to do what is right (most of the time) and just try to make other peoples' lives better. And this man struck me to be the same. To know that there are others out there like me in that way, or to know that the idea of karma or "what goes around comes around" does exist, is a very nice way to pull someone out of a bout of sinusitis.
I've been feeling icky the last few days--most likely the return of my sinus infection from January. The couch has been supporting me horizontally for over 48 hours and the floor is littered with snot rags. Not a good sight. I could hardly stand myself any more and at about six, I decided to walk to the video place to grab a flick. I knew sleeping would be scarce that night, as I had been snoozing on and off all day. I fought the head rush as I stood up, took the three block walk at a leisurely pace and decided on season one (disc two) of Grey's Anatomy. A quick flash of the ID, three bucks and I was on my way. I headed to the grocery store across the street for some juice and bananas and realized, mid-checkout, that my wallet was gone. Oh shit. Actually, fuck is more like it. I retraced my steps--each isle of the store, under each car parked between the video and grocery store, the entire video store and back THREE TIMES. I left my phone number with anyone who would take it. I was freaking out. Eventually, I gave up and walked home with my video, feeling sullen, stupid and even more sickly. Once home, the calling of banks and credit card companies ensued. Everything was cancelled and reopened, shifted and confirmed, verified and restablished. I then made a list of all the shitty ass things I would have to do come Monday to get my life back in order, including going to the DMV for a new liscense. Ugh! By nine, I decided "it is what it is" and started watching the DVD. That was the horrible part.
Around ten, a knock came at the door. Believe it friends! A nice older man stood there with a smile and my wallet. Before you go parental on me and list all of the crazies who could have been at my door or the dooms-day scenarios that could have played out, I had Fang on my side and he could have attacked if the situation presented itself. Plus I have this romantic idea that I could fight, scream, tear and kick my way out of an assult. Statistically speaking, I'm taller and heavier than the average American male anyway. For once, the numbers work for me. Back to the old man--he explained that his son had found my wallet in one of the grocery store isles, and, when he opened it, he noticed my address and saw that I lived a block from his dad. He took it to daddy-dearest, who then walked it over to my place. Everything was there, from the cash, to my library card. I about shat myself with glee. I stammered for words of thanks and the nice man explained that he, too, had lost his wallet in the past and knew how I was feeling. But some nice stranger had saved the day, as this man did for me, and delivered his wallet in one piece. That was the kindness part.
As if all this activity wasn't enough, the nice man said, "I have something for you," and pulled a book from behind his back. "Read the front," he said. The first page was dedicated to me, with something like, Dear Sarah, what an odd way to meet, if I were only a few years younger, la, la, blah. This guy brings me my wallet AND a copy of his latest book! That was the nicely bizarre part.
This morning, I wrote the nice man a thank you note and sent it off to the PO Box address listed on his website. Now, what he did is something I would do without a second thought. It's in my nature to do what is right (most of the time) and just try to make other peoples' lives better. And this man struck me to be the same. To know that there are others out there like me in that way, or to know that the idea of karma or "what goes around comes around" does exist, is a very nice way to pull someone out of a bout of sinusitis.
posted by Hootah at 4:54 PM
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