Today, while sitting in a coffeeshop, I started getting really annoyed with the lady that was conducting a very loud and fast conversation on the phone in Spanish. I gave the usual passive aggressive looks and such, but when I looked straight at her, my heart melted a little bit. She looked very much like a customer of mine at the Apple Store. A woman that I have had many conversations with...
When I first met Diana, I immediately felt drawn to her. She had very thick glasses that made her eyes look comically large, a turtleneck sweater, and two kids hanging off of her. She looks around 40 and has thick, nondescript black hair. I approached her to ask if she was looking for anything specific in the store. She replied with a thick, lispy Spanish accent "No I am just looking."
You know the kind of people that just attach to your heart for no reason? It is not because of pity, or feeling sorry for them, you just feel instantly compassionate toward them. This was Diana.
Over the next few months, I would see her in the store and she would wave from across the room. We would talk about her husband's business, her computer and other things, nothing exciting. To be honest, I would kind of get bored after a few minutes, but I still enjoyed her company if that makes any sense.
A few days after Thanksgiving, I was working a long shift at the Apple Store, and a few hours into my day, I saw Diana. She waved at me from the door and came right over to where I was. In one arm was a plastic grocery bag, and on the other was one of her children. She approached me saying "I have something for you!" This threw me off a little bit, we had not created much depth in our simple conversations and this seemed out of character for our employee/customer relationship. She pulled out a square of tinfoil and a generic brand soda can. "I made you a sandwich from my Thanksgiving leftovers. It has some spices and a homemade sauce." My heart felt like it had blown up like a balloon and then melted right there. I was so touched by her gesture of kindness. She looked at me through her magnifying glasses, holding out the sandwich and soda, wanting nothing but to give.
I felt overwhelmed, cared for by a complete stranger. Wonderful. I thanked her but knew that I did not have the words to share that I understood the grandness of this gesture, that it really meant something to me. Needless to say I ate that sandwich for lunch, it was delightful, perfect.
I have not thought about Diana, or that situation, until today when I saw the obnoxious woman on the phone in the coffee shop.
I now find myself thankful for the reminder.
