Okay, so yesterday I completed day 3, not in the way I had originally intended, but isn't that they way life works? I set out after work determined to buy a stranger something at a convenience store. I was going to buy myself a pack of gum, and then pay for the bag of chips or coffee of the person behind me in line. This turned out to be more challenging than expected.
First of all, timing was very hard. I loitered around trying not to look like I was about to steal something, but waiting for someone else to look like they were finished. I missed the first woman who was buying cat food. She just went from 0-60 with intense browsing to a b-line for the register and so I didn't make it in between.
Okay, fine. I put the gum down and started to look through the stand of mini chips (I was getting hungry from my stake-out.) Next a very cute man came in. I gave up on him right away, I couldn't even make eye-contact, therefore buying him his bag of chips and little candy cup were out of the question.
Attempt 3 came when another man walked in, but my imagination started to race as I was contemplating making my way to the register. I decided that he was creepy, and may take my act of neighbourly kindness to mean something totally different, so I gave up. I bought my mini bag of miss vickies (sea salt and malt vinegar of course) and wandered back out to the streetcar stop. Just then, a homeless man wandered into the convenience store. I could see him walking up to the counter and asking questions. I moved over to the big window to watch better, and could see that he was asking the man for food, and the man was shaking his head no. This is the moment when I realized that I had always wanted to be the person to buy a homeless man a meal, and so I walked in.
The man was on his way out the door looking defeated. I excused myself and asked the man if he was looking for some food. He said that he was, so I said, okay, let's get you some. We walked over to the counter together and he ordered a large coffee with 2 creams and 2 sugars, and a small container of chicken wings with potato wedges. It amazes me that with every option, that was all he wanted. I started to think about how human needs and desires are pretty basic at the heart of them, I think we just get so mixed up with trying to read them within the chaos of our brain and all of the societal, parental and other mediation constantly running through our system. In any case, the whole thing cost me less than 6 dollars, and the man was full of gratitude. He thanked my, shook my hand and said that his name was Mike. I introduced myself, he gave me a final thank you and god bless, and before I had put my change back in my wallet he had vanished out the door and into the night.
I hope Mike had a warm, safe night. It was a pretty good feeling thinking that I had made someone happy, even if just for a couple of minutes. Good day. Success!! Oh and I treated myself to a peppermint tea to go with my chips. It turned out to not be the best combination. Lesson learned.
Love and kindness all.
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