Life's Little Treasures

There's a little Chinese restaurant about three blocks from my office and when I find myself immersed in things at work, around the noon hour, I've been known to stroll down Main Street and pick up a little chicken broccoli from them. They do a pretty good job with it, so passing up five sandwich shops, an Italian place and a Mexican one, isn't too difficult. It's especially easy when the weather's nice.

Though, it's a little gray out there today, the clouds are holding and, as I'd feared, my day is making every attempt to consume me. So about 1:15, when I decided there was no way I had time for a real lunch break, I trekked up the street to grab a little carry-out to bring back to the office, so that I could work on a project that I need to get out of here on Tuesday, and which is far from ready.

I'm very glad that I did.

My office is situated in a 3-4 block area of very busy tourist attractions. As such, and especially in the summer months, there is a flurry of people outside. Or, for a people-watcher like me, Free Entertainment.

About a block before I got to them, I could hear a large group of young children shouting. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but periodically, they'd all cheer and clap. As I got closer I got to see, what I'll assume was a day camp group. They were on the opposite side of the street, at a city bus stop. The group numbered about twenty and the kids looked to be about 10-12 years old. As traffic passed them, down Main Street, they'd SHRIEK for the drivers to honk their horns for them and give the universal one hand trucker's pump to signify their requests.

Many drivers didn't pay any attention to them or deliberately ignored them, but when they did finally persuade one to 'play' for them, those kids were jumping up and down and cheering and clapping and it was so cute you couldn't NOT smile. As I neared the corner, the traffic light changed and an 18-Wheeler, that was destined to pass them as soon as the light changed, was situated at the front of the line of traffic. He saw the kids yelling for him to honk and he waited. He waited until three ladies were crossing right in front of him.

And then he hit that air horn. LOUDLY.

And those ladies jumped two feet. The kids ROARED. I chuckled a little. And as I looked at him, he was smiling the most innocent smile I've ever seen a truck-driver muster to the ladies he'd just frightened. The looks on the faces of those ladies were priceless. From legitimate fear as they looked at each other, to anger, as they looked at him, to motherly affection as they turned to see the group of kids cheering for them. Any anger they had melted almost instantly, as they couldn't help but join in the laughter, too.

On the way back, the kids were still out there. And while I didn't get a repeat of the previous hijinx, I did see them convince about six cars, in succession, to honk for them. And they were practically dancing to the music. The kids...not the cars. Sometimes it's sweet to see what a difference the smallest gesture can make. I could hear them yelling and cheering all the way back to my office.

I couldn't help but feel good. Your heart would have to be pretty hard not to. I wonder if you could bottle that stuff?