Friday, November 26, 2010

Random Acts of Kindness

Well, the last five days have been, let's just say, hectic.

DAYS of cooking. There is flour caked in the crevices of my kitchen table. Croissants that took three solid days to make. Fresh wheat bread. A really fabulous apple and pomegranate crumbly tart creation.

After all was said and done, and I traipsed off to work Thursday night, pretty convinced that the night was going to be flop, something amazing happened. Something that reaffirmed my faith in humanity as a whole, something that really deserved to be one of those happy kind of news stories that they throw in at the end to make you just a little bit optimistic after showing you all the rapists and murderers.

Against all my thoughts, we did a bit of business. All the other staff went home shortly after I arrived, and I allowed the few parties that came in to choose where they'd like to go, and each chose a separate section where they could talk with their family uninterrupted. An older couple chose a small both in a dark corner, and were very quiet. She was dressed in a neat Christmas sweater and gold jewelry, he wore a pressed top, but it was clear they really did not want to be bothered.

 A younger couple saw them and called me over, in order to pay for the strangers' holiday meal. I brought them the check without hesitation, and they paid quickly, and I walked around once more.

As I told the older couple of the kindness of the strangers, they seemed slightly disturbed for a moment. Not at all pleased.

Thanksgiving was a bad time for them. They never really know what to do with themselves anymore. 13 years ago, they lost both their sons on the holiday, and they just don't know what to do.

One of the boys was coming home from serving our country. I'm hoping I'm telling the story accurately. It was difficult to understand the man, as his voice broke, and his wife's eyes teared. 

 Such a wonderful act of kindness. The young couple didn't wish to be identified, no thanks, just, "We want to take care of that couple's check. It's Thanksgiving, and they shouldn't be alone."

It was a beautiful minute.

Blessings on you all for the holiday season.

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