I ordered bagels last week. Online. From Panera. I do that occasionally, order a dozen bagels for pickup the next morning. This time, though, I wasn’t sure what to expect — bars and restaurants had just been ordered to close for public gathering. I thought there was a pretty fair chance they’d be just plain closed for business, but what the heck, it was worth a shot.
When I got there, the normally jammed parking lot was deserted. It was a bleak moonscape shrouded in an eerie, gray mist. One lone guy was shuffling around on the wet pavement in front of Panera’s door. I parked, got out, and the dude promptly announced there was no one inside. He said he’d placed a paid order online, could see the bag with his name on it through the window, but nobody was in there. I looked and, yep, there were two bags on a shelf, one with my name sat right next to his. We looked at each other. We looked at our bags. We looked at each other again.
I pointed out the lights were on — count on me to state the obvious — which was a good sign. He nodded, then said his wife had tried calling them, but didn’t get an answer. So I peered more intently through the window, muttered something about them surely being in there, when a woman mysteriously appeared walking toward us. Sure enough, she opened the door, asked our names, grabbed the bags off the shelf, and handed them to us.
The poor man was visibly relieved and hugged the bag to his chest. Here was a person deeply invested in his Panera meal. In times like this, when the world is a threatening, unfamiliar menace, we all find tremendous comfort in the known. And for this guy, it was his breakfast from Panera. I smiled and wished him good luck in a future neither of us wanted to imagine.
He looked at me and, with uncommon sincerity, said ‘bless you.’ Then added, ‘we’re all going to need it.’ Well, that did it. My eyes filled with tears, I nodded my head and shrugged my shoulders, and fled to the car. Blubbering the whole way. Do not, amidst this disastrous upheaval, show me any kindness or affection whatsoever. I will sob. And if I start sobbing I may not stop. So, don’t. Please. The kindness of strangers has always left me completely unstrung, I’m not sure why. Maybe because I want to believe in people when there’s so much evidence to the contrary. Maybe because I have no family, so everyone is my family. Or maybe because I’m a sucker for hope.
You see, I’m pretty sure hope can save us from anything. No matter how big or how destructive the calamity is, hope is the one thing that’ll get us back on our feet and moving forward. So let’s do, let’s get up and move on. People need our help, let’s offer it to them whenever and wherever it’s needed. Deal?
Stay safe. Wash your hands. And keep your distance. We’ll be just fine, buckaroos. Count on it.
copyright © 2020 the whirly girl
the whirly girl 
23 responses to “: this won’t last forever :”
Loving the blog! How did you come up with the name, Whitley Girl?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for such a terrific compliment❗️ I came up with the whirly girl to explain how my mind works. It spins and whirs and clanks and chugs and careens. But it’s fun 🙃
LikeLiked by 1 person
In the 1980’s there was a band called OXO. They were a one hit wonder… but, there one hit was called, Whirly Girl. YouTube it… I’m in the video!! Can you guess where? 🥳
LikeLike
Amazing💯💯…Do visit and follow my page too..Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
👍
LikeLike
What a great story and a message of hope. I agree completely, we will come out of this on the other side, hopefully with some lessons learned. How we can all be a little more kind to each other and respect our beautiful planet that we are all on together. We are all in this together (whether we like it or not). @SilkPurseProductions, Like you I thanked all of the grocery store employees profusely. They were all so kind and nice and it meantt a lot during this time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure you already know this, but the pandemic is actually giving the earth a breather. The canals in Venice have clear water in them for the first time and the smoggy skies in places like LA are clear. So there is an upside here, we should take it to heart and make some big, huge changes. Thanks for stopping by, it was lovely to hear from you ☺️
LikeLiked by 2 people
I have heard about the upsides for the environment. Let’s hope this causes real lasting change in the way we humans live on this Earth after this pandemic is over.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s do hope. Always.
LikeLike
This is the part that gives Me hope. Our country has been jerked to a screeching halt to careless behavior regarding our planet. Maybe when we’re allowed to move again we’ll be more thoughtful…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Everyone, I imagine, will have a new, abiding respect for nature when this disaster finally resolves itself and the world regains its footing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now I know we are some how connected genetically! I cry all the time at that stuff. We went for some milk and bread to the grocery store on Friday and I thanked every store employee I saw for working and blubbered light an idiot the whole time. I’m sure they thought I had a brain virus.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh, thank goodness! I’m so relieved you have this, too. It’s how I imagine spontaneous combustion works, but in reverse. Why are we like that?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I usually blame it on being old and feeble…that doesn’t apply to you, though. Maybe you are old and feeble in training?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll bet I’m older than you. Physically. Mentally I’m 10. It’s such a great age 🙃
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, the age of innocence.
LikeLiked by 1 person
and heedless recklessness. that’s the part i like!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a truly inspiring message. I’m with you, Whirly. If we all heed the advice we’ll get through this. See you on the other side. In the meantime here’s a virtual hug. 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
We will. And here’s a virtual hug right back to you, my sweet friend 🤗
LikeLike
Hope is all we have now, outside of prayer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
and each other. but, please, don’t come within six feet 😀
LikeLike
What an awesome story to share! And your sharing raises hope in us all during this most surreal of times. Thanks for sharing! – David
LikeLiked by 2 people
comments like yours make this all worthwhile. thank you❣️
LikeLike