PlazaJen: Passion Knit

Well, it's a gloomy day here in Kansas City, spitting rain and overcast. After meeting a couple of pals down at LuLu's for lunch, I really wanted some comfort coffee. I came to this realization partway back to the office, so I pulled into -yes- the megalopolis Starbucks. As I did this, another vehicle entered towards the drive-thru, but stopped to let me go. The guy could've been a real jackass and cut me off, but he didn't, and I was struck, a bit, by the notion of doing one of those Random Acts Of Kindness all the bloggers like to write about, and challenge others to do, but I never do them because I don't want to do something because I've been challenged to do it, but rather I want to do it because it really feels like the right thing to do. Sometimes my heart is a tiny lump of coal, ya know? And maybe my shoes are too tight. ;) And drivers sometimes just bite. Or life is so busy and filled up it's easy to forget to do something extra when you're worried about forgetting the next six things you need to do today. (To her credit, the first place I really started reading about this regularly, Sheri at the Loopy Ewe has to be the kindest person alive, I swear. She does RaoKs all the time and makes the world a better place. Me? I am usually screaming at people from the safe bubble inside Mimi Murano about their horrid driving.)

So I put in my order - nonfat Venti Cafe Mocha, and cave for the whip, because hell, I just made the dang thing nonfat, why not have a sweet li'l whip on top? And pull around to pay. A very nice, hippie-sorta dude leans out the window as I explain that I want to pay for my drink, as well as the guy-behind-me's drink, because he was so nice to not cut me off and I'm blathering about being random, and I'm a little worried he thinks I'm not only crazy but I'm stalking the guy behind me (how hard would that be?) and instead, he nods and takes my card, and says something about how the guy behind me got the same drink I did. (Crazy! And super ESP for a stalker, I'd say!) The windows close, and I see him talking to the barista making our drinks, and then he swipes my card & comes back, and hands me my receipt. And says, "You paid for his drink, but I paid for yours, because you were being nice." And I kinda open-mouth fish gaped and then had the where-with-all to remember to tip him.

Now, I love the independent coffee shops. I met my husband in one, we got engaged there four years later, and I always feel a twinge guilty when I give my money to the 800-pound gorilla. But - but - geeze. What a nice thing to do, and the guy behind me followed me out to the stop sign & honked & waved, and we all went on with our days, a little happier and reminded of the fact that a little kindness and generosity go a long way, no matter what's going on in the world.

And, I guess it shows that even big mega-corporations can have a soul if they hire the right people, hm?

Labels: food, life