Thursday, September 11, 2008

Paying it forward...

I had a blog-worthy experience today. I was running late. This is my first non-trial/non-court day in about a week, so the chickadees and I took our time getting ready and didn't leave until 8:45. I coughed all night - so I'm still feeling cruddy.

After dropping off the short people I had to go to the bank so I was passing Starbuck on the way and decided I deserved a skinny vanilla latte. There were many cars in the drive-up, so I parked and went inside. There were two ladies there at the front of the line chatting up the cashier. This conversation had something to do with the ladies' day and their plans, and some misfortune, blah-blah-blah. Behind the two ladies was a very nice looking man who was just hanging and waiting. We were there FOREVER.

So finally the ladies' drinks are prepared and ready and they move on. The guy in front of me (we'll call him Mike, because that's his name ;) ) - goes right up to the chicka at the counter and slaps her a big ol' High-5 and says "THAT was excellent customer service and you did a GREAT job making those ladies' day." He ordered a skinny vanilla latte with protein & fiber powder, and then turns around to me and says "And, I'll pay for whatever SHE'S having, too - since she waited so patiently..." I shook my head and protested no, he didn't have to do that...but he insisted. So, I got the same thing, minus the protein/fiber...I was being healthy enough with the skim milk and sugar free stuff! He was so super nice and I told him thank you for paying it forward. Turns out the barista accidentally poured the protein/fiber-free latte into "Mike's" cup - and the protein/fiber-dosed latte in to "J.J.'s" cup - so I've been carrying around my "Mike" latte for about 1/2 hour. I'm sad it's gone...and the barista had even dotted his "i" in Mike with a little heart. AH, how sweet.

We should all have a bigger heart some days. Thanks, Mike - wherever you are.

And today, of all days - I still have a hard time discussing the events that took place 9/11/01...but for the sake of remembering how real it was, I will never forget the frightened faces of all my fellow law students crowded around the tv in the student lounge. Frantic cell phone calls - only to get blocked signals. Being afraid to drive anywhere. Worry...fear...disbelief...anger. Insanity. God bless these United States.

3 comments:

  1. So the question is... what are you going to do to pay it forward?

    We have a tradition at our house of helping out friends, no strings attached. Well actually we do have one string attached... someday one of your friends will need some help and you'll be in a position to help out... do it.

    It started because when I was away in Germany with the Army for a couple of weeks my wife was on the verge of a nervous breakdown... kids were sick and there was no food in the house... and we didn't have any real money to get anything delivered. She had mentioned this to some online friends... Next thing you know a pizza showed up at the door. One of her friends had ordered a pizza online for her. She cried.

    Since then we've done the pizza thing for a few friends... we even paypal'd a friend $100... just because we could and they needed it. The only thing we ask is sometime in the future......

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  2. I love pay it forward. Jason paid for my 'chickfila" lunch we are having delivered tomorrow AND he left me a jug full of round up just cos he knew I needed it. My turn next.

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