I don't even know his name.
Backstory
I have a fairly long commute to work. I leave very early in the morning and quite often,the first human face I encounter is at the toll booth. Most days I have a brief exchange of change with either an impassive woman, a bored, maybe depressed gentleman or a highly caffeinated man. But on Tuesdays, I am favored with endearing greetings, well wishes and kind safety cautions. Tuesday's toll taker truly sets the tone for my day with a pleasant, "Good morning, Dear" or "Hello, Love" and "Be safe, Angel". And yes, I can hear the capital letter in his voice. Even more endearing to me is the fact that I don't even know his name, nor he mine. by ctgoods2 in Six-Word Memoirs on Sep 18, 2012 | 
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T-shirt
Comments
lovelylizard says,
This is a delightful memoir for us all any morning. Thankfully, you have articulated it for us. We make a choice everyday....oopsalittle says,
There are some really nice people out there....BanjoDan says,
acts of kindness do make our days!NumbrOneAunt says,
this brought a smile to my rainy morning. and i agree with lovelyliz - we do make choices every day. this is also a good reminder for me that even small acts of kindness (OR unkindness) can have wider ripple effects than we realize.JAD says,
Kindness always lift the spirit in people. It can be the smallest of things. I've experienced it many times in life. Beautiful ct.canadafreeze says,
Thanks for the morning smile - nice to know there are real people still doing small, kind things.accidentaltourist says,
Maybe proof that kindness can snowball....you feel special after that pleasant greeting, and that affects your interactions with the rest of your day. You pass the story to us, and we feel pleased by the hope it represents...and that affects our interactions. The snowball of happy grows bigger. :)ctgoods2 says,
I like how you thinkLevel1 says,
Ask him his name :-)ctgoods2 says,
mos def - next Tuesday!e.towhee says,
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." -- Aesopjl333 says,
I love the backstory along with your memoir. This is great!ctgoods2 says,
Thanks jl -e - Aesop was a wise guy, eh?
Believe says,
Love this. And the guy who makes your Tuesday mornings, although I don't even know his name.ctgoods2 says,
thanks - remembering helps me return the kindesses.lisamoans says,
pay it forwardlisamoans says,
story works best with his anonymityLoon says,
his name is Everyman.....great anecdote, ctctgoods2 says,
Excellent point lmoansctgoods2 says,
Many thanks Sir Loon.three-monkeys says,
Love this. Meaningful and poignantly expressed. (BTW, nice toll-takers have always made ME happy tooooo)! :)ba_miracle says,
Now you can tell him his kindness has made him secretly (a little) famous ;-) I am his fan. So glad you have good Tuesdays.mzejay says,
What a treat! I don't know where he is, but I hope we all pass through his booth.ctgoods2 says,
I hope ya'll get to pass through his booth at least once.Knoxena says,
It's especially nice when it's heart felt, and that what it sounds like.TheAngstyPoet says,
Love this memoir. I can relate because on my commutes from campus to campus. I constantly see individuals I've shared a conversation here and there. Awesome backstory.DynamicDbytheC says,
Love this memoir. It is the little smiles and hellos from strangers each day that reassure us there are still so many great people in America.KharisJo says,
just read this and it made me smile half a world away :)ctgoods2 says,
THAT is awesome.L2L3 says,
I especially appreciate the toll takers here at Smith.Dean6805 says,
CT, this is fantastic. I challenge you to learn his name and engage in mini conversations with him (as traffic allows, of course). I have always believed that making these small connections is how we keep our humanity.ctgoods2 says,
agreeed - keepin' it human.jebcrg says,
You definitely know how to turn a phrase. The backstory would make a great prompt for writing practice. I found myself turning it into a flirtation, then a romance while I was reading it. Would love to hear the next paragraph!