Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and today, he was hanging out in a humble cafeteria. I’ll admit, he looked like he was on vacation. In lieu of the red suit with the stylish black patent belt and matching boots, he was sporting baggy jeans and a flannel shirt. He did, however, have the long white beard and an impressive mane to match, along with the trademark spectacles.
What really gave him away, however, was what he did for the woman in line behind me, the one with the very sensible, nutritious lunch who was digging desperately in her bag for a wallet that just didn’t want to materialize. With more subtlety than jollity, he put his cup of black coffee down next to her tray and offered to pay for her lunch. Her incredulous, but grateful look was met with “It’s okay, I just got paid. (giggle, giggle) You can pay me back if and when you see me again. (giggle, giggle).” A hungry, overworked woman got to tuck into her salad, a noted saint got to retain his halo, and along with my banana bread, I had a side of human kindness (a rare delicacy these days). Bon appetit!
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