Hey,SRS: Thanks for the story. It'll be one of the best presents I get this Christmas. You know our friend jimmyT has done free dental work to people who can't pay for many years.

Once we get through the joyfulness of Christmas, I want to get back to writing. I've started a chapter titled The Graciousness of Strangers and whenever I can snatch five minutes, I jot down some notes and put them in the folder to expand as part of the chapter. I am regularly overwhelmed by the generosity of strangers. For starters,

   There's Justin, who works at Kentucky Fried Chicken. Back when he didn't know me from Adam, and we'd hardly spoken two sentences in a row, Justin started giving me his 30% employee discount whenever I stopped in to order take-out. With a large order, it often amounts to a discount of five or six dollars. Don't ask me why he singled me out to do this. I have no idea. I was just friendly to him. I'm that way with everyone. It wasn't long before another guy who works there started to give me his employee discount, too. He always greets me with "Hey, cowboy!" when I come in. Don't ask me why. I don't wear a hat or clothes that make me appear like a cowboy. The other day a young girl who I don't ever remember seeing before waited on me. And she gave me her 30% discount. Don't ask me why. I don't know.

   I had my computer overhauled last week at Staples. When I signed the authorization for the repair, it had a bill of $29.95 for the work. When I picked it up, I asked how much I owed them, and the guy said, "Nothing." I don't even know this guy's name. When I asked him why there was no charge, he said, "Because we like you."

   My dentist gives me a discount every time I have dental work done. I never asked for it. He just does it. Why? I guess, because he likes me.

   It goes on and on.

   The last time I stopped by Kentucky Fried, I was telling Justin about all of this and I said, "There are a lot of good people in this world." And he answered, "Yeah, there are, and there are lot of good people you don't think are good, because they're in a bad situation." That's important to remember. There's even MORE goodness around us than we see. Some of it is in people most of us would think of as being bad.

   Merry Christmas.