random acts of kindness..

There's this mall I go to when in Michigan. It's called Summerset. Been coming here for years with family. Shopping, eating, browsing, chilling, walking around. Yesterday I went shopping for a few things and picked up a cool notepad that has a little boy playing with turntables on the front. When I was finished shopping, I decided to go grab a coffee and write some stuff in my new find while I wait for my Dad. Alas, no pen. I went looking for somewhere that sells pens. This is a hard mission when it's a place like Summerset - that targets the rich soccermoms of Michigan. I asked a women. She said to check out Papyrus. A nifty little store that specializes in notepads, greeting cards, wedding invites. That kinda stuff. I spent a few minutes looking at the cool greeting cards and large posters hanging from the wall. The shop keeper realized I was there silently checking out her stuff. She asked me If I needed help. Told her my story. She showed me all these different types of pens she had. I told her I just needed one simple pen to do some writing while I sip on a coffee downstairs. She advised me that she's afraid that she didn't have any. While walking back behind the desk, she picked up something from behind the counter. A black pen. She told me to take it. I told her no. She said that I won't have any luck otherwise and this is the best chance I will have to jot down some words. I asked her if she wanted a few dollars for it. With an old lady smile and chuckle, she said. "No. I don't want to see it ever again." I told her how much I appreciated it and wondered off to look for my resting place with my coffee. Especially in a strange city random acts of kindness like that one, really brightened up my day. I wrote about it in my notepad and now on here.


While I was having my coffee, I started to people watch. It's amazing how rich people conduct themselves. It's amazing to watch how kids are groomed at a young age to be just like their snobby, materialistic parent who don't know the true meaning of a dollar. While in line somewhere I heard one girl - who was at the most 16 years old - tell her friend that she only has $300 to spend today with the credit card because she bought a few DVD's on the weekend. Wow. Then, you will see the rich kids who don't really show it. Who have this humble manner about themselves who are just happy to be where they are. You know their parents are pretty down to earth folks. I'm sure there's the same type of people in Toronto - especially in the burbs - but it's easier to see when you're a visitor. A tourist. An outsider.

One thing I learned yesterday was this. We need more American ladies offering free pens to a young Canadian in the world.