to Tennessee Williams's famed line, I was most impressed by the kindness of a stranger this past week. I was at a city market and my debit card wouldn't work. The clerk tried it as a credit card. Still no luck. At this point, I was bouncing between humiliation and a bit of panic as there ought to have been plenty of funds for at least groceries.
As I was rummaging in my pockets (I rarely carry cash) to see what I had, the ultra-patient man behind me stepped forward and offered to buy my groceries. He said, "I'll give you my address and you can mail me a check."
I was stunned by the generosity of a stranger. I thanked him, but only bought that for which I could afford out of pocket. But that gesture has been sitting in my mind. It was so teeny--perhaps $3 worth to make up the difference, but it calmed me. And impressed me. What a nice city this can be.
*The post script to this saga is that my CSA supplier had changed their banking choice and my bank had seen their billing as a fraudulent activity and therefore had frozen my account. While I appreciate their vigilance, I pointed out that notifying me would have been a lovely step for their customer service department to provide.
Personalizes "acts of random kindness," eh? Your ending demonstrates one-on-one more effective than bureaucracy - not just a courtesy, but a no-brainer would have been to notify you of the bank change.
ReplyDeleteYour CSA... ::sigh::
ReplyDeleteI hate relying on the kindness of strangers because I prefer to be the one helping, not the one being helped. Sometimes God wisely does not leave us this choice...
Yes, I prefer self-sufficiency, and fortunately did not have to take assistance. But the offer was kind.
ReplyDelete