A Random Act of Kindness

I've been aggravated, annoyed, frightened, stunned, overwhelmed, indignant and pissed off.  I've been horrified and terrified and sad.  It's been an interesting week in the real world, and though I've tried to soothe my soul with gardening and novels and classes and friends, the facts keep hitting me over the head. Steve Bannon and his one-rung-demotion has the talking heads ecstatic; my head is just shaking.

But the sun came up today and I was here to see it - by definition, it's a good day.  I collected Mr. 13 from his martial arts lesson and shared a companionable ride to his house, listening to his tunes, trying to decode the lyrics, and smiling.  He refused my offer of breakfast, and with an hour before my volunteer gig in The Reading Corner at Copper Creek Elementary School, I took my empty belly to the northern outpost of my favorite restaurant.

There was a line of people going through the front door, there were patrons waiting on comfy couches outside and inside, but the Community Table had chairs for 8 and only two were occupied.  I took a stool at the far end, smiled at the waiter who'd migrated to this location from the other, and ordered without a menu.

The food came; other patrons came, one talking on his phone then typing on his laptop, one playing solitaire on her phone before looking for a water glass, a couple of women starting out on their day. We improvised with coffee cups in the absence of water glasses and we gently abused the waiter about his oversight.  I'm not teasing you, I told him, The Community is teasing you! as I asked for the check.

There is no check, he said.  Someone paid your bill.  Have a great day.

What?  Wait?  Who?  Why?  I want to say Thank You.

No, it was anonymous.  Have a nice day.  Go. 

So I went, feeling delighted and befriended.  It was such a pleasant, unexpected surprise to be on the receiving end of what I'd done the night before I was shot. unsure if my notoriety or merely my existence in that place at that time got the credit for my good fortune ... was it random or personal ... had someone been watching me the whole time ... and then I stopped analyzing.

I stood in the shade (yes, we are looking for shade already) and I smiled.

It was so kind.  It was so unexpected.  It was a small thing with a big ripple.  It was such a Tucson thing.  I love my town.