There was a special edition of Nightline that ran a year or two before Fred Rogers died, and they replayed it after his death. When he was a child out walking with his father, his dad would take a few pennies and place them on posts or windowsills along the city street. When asked about it, his father responded that the children who found the pennies would be very happy about it.

So many of those stories in the Times tend to revolve around food--something this culture has far too much of and some complicated baggage about. (The true beneficiary of those acts of kindness were Starbucks and other eateries, weren't they?) It is nice to make someone's day, especially the families with small children in modest establishments (been there, done that!) but I prefer it to be in the services rendered area, like picking up litter, carrying a bag, opening a door, or doing a favor. Anonymous or not.

My hairdresser has had health problems for several years. He had a hip replacement surgery last year after agonizing months of waiting because he has no insurance and it was at the county hospital. It seemed like the hip was giving him problems a few months later but turned out it was a neck/spine thing that was radiating pain down his leg. More surgery finally, after another long wait. I tried to call him Monday to see when he thinks he'll be going back to work, but his phone was disconnected. An act of kindness was to get cash for the cost of my highlights and haircut and tip and go by his house yesterday to see how he's doing. He's looking and feeling much better and is looking much more fit. The house is in foreclosure, so they're going to have to scramble to get things back in order once he does get back to work so my offering was small, but I gave him the cash, telling him I wanted to prepay my next haircut so maybe he can get his phone hooked up again. With his health, he needs a phone in the house.

SRS