Another Kindness from a Stranger

The morning after Haley died our doorbell rang. We looked outside and found a bag of warm bagels and all the fixings. I saw a woman running away who I didn't recognize. If that food wasn't there I'm sure we wouldn't have remembered to eat. It was the last thing from our mind. There were enough bagels to last us for several mornings. It was such a nice service.

About a year later I was taking Talmage for a walk in his stroller around the neighborhood. We lived in base housing and there was a little horseshoe of officer four-plexes on one side of the street and a horse shoe of enlisted four-plexes on the other side of the street. I was walking around the whole circle and was on the enlisted side of the street when a woman approached me. She told me that she had been looking out her window the morning that Haley died and had seen the whole scene and that she had brought us the bagels the next day. I hope I said thank you, but I don't remember what was said I was so stunned. I was stunned that she understood what she saw---the medics wheelling her out to the ambulence. The ambulence taking her away at slow speed, no sirens. There was no rush, it was too late. Clint and I getting into our car and following. She had seen all of that and cared about our situation and thought carefully about what she could do to serve us in a helpless situation. She was moved to action for someone she didn't even know. Every time I think of her I want to be a better person.