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A few years ago, I was waiting in line at my local kosher Dunkin Donuts drive thru for my coffee. As I sat in my car, it occurred to me that I might be able to brighten someone’s day by paying for their order. When it was my turn at the window, I instructed the cashier to also add on the bill of the car behind me. She looked at me curiously and asked if they were my friend. I replied no and that I just wanted to give them a good start to their day. The cashier smiled as she handed me the receipt, and I drove off rather quickly, feeling the need for a fast escape in order to remain anonymous. It was then that I noticed the oncoming van. I’m kidding, chas v’shalom!
To continue my story, I figured that if the ultimate act of chessed (good deeds performed for others) is one in which the giver doesn’t know who the receiver is and the receiver doesn’t know who the giver is, in a small way, anonymously buying someone their morning coffee and donut might qualify. I don’t know about you, but I never seem to notice or remember the car in front of me at the drive thru. This was a sure fire hit and run act of kindness, well really, donuts.
Since that first time, I will still occasionally perform a random act of donuts at the drive thru. Needless to say, I’m sure that some of my beneficiaries have been Jewish, since there are only two kosher Chicagoland area Dunkin Donuts and both are heavily patronized by Orthodox Jews. However, a few of my recipients may have been from the secular population too.
Today, as I waited at the drive thru window for my order, the amount due for the next person behind me flashed on the screen. Knowing I had no cash, but a lot of change, I frantically dug around to retrieve $2.02 in coins. As the cashier opened the window with my coffee, I reached across with the money. She started to tell me that she couldn’t give me bills for the coins, when I explained that I was paying for the next customer. Smiling, she waved at me, and I sped away like a masked superhero into the chilly morning – Mistress Muffin Top, perhaps?
As I continued on my way, I mentally went over my to-do list for the morning and promptly forgot about my random act of donuts. Suddenly, about a mile into my route, a car to my left matched my speed and seemed to be trying to get my attention. As we pulled up to a red light, the driver rolled down his window and motioned for me to do so as well. He was a youngish looking man, with dark hair and sunglasses on. He tipped his coffee cup to me in a toast-like manner –
“Thanks for the coffee! He yelled over the din of traffic. “But why did you do it? Why did you buy me the coffee?”
“Random act of kindness!” I yelled back, giving him the thumbs up.
“God bless you!” He called, as the light changed green, and our paths diverged as I made a right turn.
It must have seemed strange, this tichel (scarf) wearing woman in a giant minivan, randomly treating a stranger to coffee. The “God bless you” really touched me, because, even though I highly doubt this man was Jewish, we still pray to the same God that created all of us. How easy it seemed in that moment to achieve good will between neighbors who have geographical closeness, yet are still worlds away from each other. I’ve never been tracked down by a recipient of a random act of donuts before, but today gave me encouragement to keep up the practice.
Have a great Shabbos!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
