After a long and tiring day, heading home on a cold night and still needing to stop at the grocery store for a few things, I was cranky and not really in the mood to cook when I got home. I wheeled my cart around the grocery store a few times, trying to decide what I wanted and realizing I didn't even want to make any effort to microwave anything. Really, I was that lazy.
I went through the self-checkout, stopped by the food donation bin to drop off the crackers I'd added to my cart for that purpose (which I was figuring would be my RAOK for the day) and then pointed my car to the local fast food drive-thru. It was quick, hot, didn't require any effort, and was on the way home anyway. Yeah, I was truly that lazy.
As I was pulling into the drive-thru, I noticed a man in a puffy jacket digging through a trash can standing on a strip of sidewalk between the restaurant and the hotel next door. I thought at first, seeing the shopping cart next to him, that he was a recycler looking for discarded bottles and cans. We have quite a few of those folks who travel around my neighboorhoods since we have a lot of businesses and apartment buildings in the area. When I passed by, though, I saw that his bags weren't full of cans and bottles, but clothing and other items. It was a really chilly night, too, and his breath puffed in cold wisps as he worked his way through the garbage can for whatever it was he was hoping to find.
I could still see him across the parking lot as I placed my order. On impulse, I added two tacos from the cheap-o dollar menu on the board to my order. I had them place the tacos in a separate bag, drove back around to his location and said "Sir, would you like some tacos?", and he replied, "I'm not asking for anything but if you're willing to give them, I'm willing to take them." I passed them over, he said "Thank you very much." I said, "You're welcome, enjoy!" and drove off.
It was short and simple and not very inspirational, I'm sure. But it was proof that even in the laziest and easiest of circumstances, there are opportunities to be kind to others. Hope he liked the tacos.
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