It was a chilly day. We were heading down the mountain where my son and daughter-in-law live. We had errands.
About halfway down the long, narrow, dirt drive that leads up to their home, we had to stop. And wait. Several neighbors were working on widening the road—on their own—to ensure emergency vehicles could access their homes. The road is not state maintained, yet, because of a few holdouts. But that's a story for another day.
While Hubby and I were waiting, our daughter-in-law hopped out to chat with the neighbors and get an update on the work. Hubby and I played games on our phones. Until ...
Tap, tap, tap.
We looked up from our phones. There was a lady knocking on the passenger-side front window. She opened the door.
"Are you the in-laws?" the curly gray haired lady asked, She leaned in with a basket.
"Oh! Umm, yes. Yes we are." I stumbled over the words. I wasn't expecting a visit.
She turned to me. "I understand you like coffee," she said. "Let me pour you a cup while you wait."
In the basket was a glass coffee carafe wrapped in a kitchen towel. It contained fresh, hot coffee. She grabbed one of two ceramic mugs and poured.
"Sugar? I have real and the other. I also have some cream."
A crystal holder hugged packets of sugar substitute. The basket also held a sugar dispenser and some real cream or milk. I wasn't exactly sure which, but it certainly wasn't the powdered stuff. There were ladyfingers in a package that had recently been opened.
"I like it black, thank you." I took the warm cup from her soft hands. She then handed me a ladyfinger.
"We get them in Florida. I don't like the ones with anise in them, so these are plain. It's okay if you don't like them."
"This is wonderful, thank you so much," I replied as I dunked my ladyfinger.
Then she asked Hubby if he wanted coffee. He's a tea drinker, so he declined.
We chatted for about 10 minutes. She can't work the machinery to widen the road, so she provides warm treats for the crew. She told us about the project. Everyone involved was retired and doing the work out of the kindness of their hearts. All the neighbors, except the holdouts, pitched in to cover the costs.
Before I finished my coffee and ladyfinger, our daughter-n-law was back and we were on our way down the drive.
This is the neighborhood in which my son and his wife live. Almost every neighbor (exception: the holdouts) is kind, generous, gracious, and supportive of each other.
A basket, fresh coffee, ladyfingers, and kind chit chat. It doesn't take much to make you forget you're waiting in a cold car on the side of a mountain; or to make the world a warm, kind, amazing place.