Random Act of Kindness, Take Two!
I have tried to continue with that random act of kindness stuff. So far, I’ve bought coffee or a bagel for the person ahead or behind me in a line. I gave up on the idea of complimenting people randomly because I figured I’d come off as a weirdo whereas people are generally not too offended if you buy them a bagel. It’s like the international symbol of peace. Free bagel! Free coffee! And my other routine is to give my handwarmers to the same homeless woman I pass on the same corner as I walk to the office. By that time, I’m only a few blocks from the office and they’re good for another couple of hours so it makes sense to give them away. If she’s not there, I give them to a street cop or our doorman at the office.
Besos and I went out to eat the other night at a Vietnamese restaurant because she was craving Pho. Four young men came into the restaurant and sat down at the table next to ours. They grinned and pointed to things at the menu, curious and eager to try something new. One of them caught my eye and asked what I was eating and then said it looked good. They were polite to the Vietnamese woman who came to take their order, despite her clearly not fully understanding them as they ordered in a bit of disarray. I watched them a bit. Very young. I liked that they seemed a friendly bunch. I looked up at Besos and said, “Should I do a random act of kindness?” She said, “I don’t know what you mean.” I said, “I’m leaving it to you.” She said, “Then I have to say yes.” So I went up to the cashier and paid for their dinner. I hadn’t meant for her to say anything to them and Besos and I were preparing to leave but the server/cashier went to their table and told them I paid. They looked up at me in surprise and thanked me.
Turns out they are all in the military. For some reason, that just choked me up a little. I don’t even know these young kids but my skeptic heart said a little prayer for them.
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Just a random attorney writing about daily life with Little Filthy, my rotten dog.
January 16th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
How awesome are you??? Seriously, I am loving the fact that you are doing this. When all my friends are saying what a-holes lawyers are, I direct them to your blog
January 16th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
*laugh* I didn’t realize people thought lawyers were assholes. I thought they just thought *I* was.
January 17th, 2009 at 3:19 am
This is incredible! I totally want to give you a hug!
January 17th, 2009 at 7:43 am
Wow, the fact that they’re all in the military is like a karma bonus for you!
My simple RAOK used to be to pay the toll for the person behind me, but now that I have an I-Pass, that doesn’t work. So I need to find a new go-to RAOK.
But I think you should compliment people, too. So long as it’s sincere, it won’t come off as creepy. Well, I guess it *does* depend on the compliment, but I presume you’re keeping it clean!
January 17th, 2009 at 11:02 am
you are seriously awesome, and i adore you. but in a totally platonic way. make sure besos knows that; i don’t want to eff up my chance of getting heuvos rancheros next time i’m in chicago. you know, as long as i don’t take them in the bathroom;)
xoxo
January 17th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Very, very cool! Good for you. And now you’ve educated Besos so you’re passing on the RAOK trend.
January 17th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Jennie – I will be sure to smooth everything over with Besos to ensure your chances at her heuvos rancheros.
And that’s not a euphemism.
January 17th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
PT-LawMom – Oh, I should clarify. She knows what a RAOK is but wasn’t sure what I had in mind when I asked her because I didn’t tell her. For all she knew, I might pick cilantro out from her front teeth and declare it my day’s RAOK.
January 17th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Oh good for you! I love random acts of kindness. You can just feel the good karma.
I used to pay for an all day parking ticket when I went to university (usually just for a couple of hours). Afterwards I would give the ticket to a person who was about to put their money in the machine.
I think I’ve scared a few folk by running up to them madly and yelling, “Wait! Don’t put your money in there!”
When I explain that I’ve got a ticket for them that will take them until 11pm or 1am that night they look really confused and then grateful.
I hope that sometimes this might brighten up a person’s day, when perhaps they weren’t having such a great time.
January 17th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
RE, are you turning into a softie? Choked up? SHUT UP.
January 18th, 2009 at 8:27 am
Kez – That is awesome! You deserve good parking karma for life.
January 18th, 2009 at 8:28 am
QTMama – Not at all. Before I left the restaurant, I took the time to kick each of them in the balls and while they were collapsed on the floor, I leaned over them with my finger in their face and said, “I own you now. I own you!”
January 18th, 2009 at 8:44 am
Good on you!
The other day three guys were demonstrating outside a construction site. It was effing cold, so I bought hot chocolate for them. They were stunned, and very grateful.
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:23 pm
you are a beautiful person.