Monday, June 12, 2006

pay it forward.

last night i had the most memorable dinner of my life. moments like these remind me that gestures of kindness can be small, and that things in life really do happen for a reason.

i went out for dinner at a local pizzeria that lonely planet recommended. i was sitting alone in a huge booth, reading, content to be having a sit down meal. a young italian family entered the restaurant and had nowhere to sit. the mother was pregant, and obviously very hungry! she approached me, and asked if they could sit with me. initially, i was fairly shocked, and wary, but i could not really say no.

a very pregant julia, her boyfriend caesar, and her 9 year old child marguerita sat down and joined me for dinner. and what a dinner it was! after about 30 seconds we were interacting as if we had been family forever. we ate off of each other's plates, learned about each other's lives and joked with one another. despite the language barrier, we had amazing conversation. i even gave little marguerita some canada stickers, and i think we bonded for life without any words. at the end, they thanked me for sharing my table and paid for my meal! they would not take no for answer. i have never met a kinder family, and i will remember the dinner with them forever.

small gestures of kindness. pass it along.

1 comment:

gulldogg said...

Julia/Caesar? That's bloody hilarious!

In the Czech Republic it's the same. If there's room at a table it's not strange if people join another person or group. Quite common.