one of the first sunny warm days in march i got in my car and meandered through a small nearby town hoping a particular eatery had reopened for the season. they hadn't yet, so i continued on my adventure and made a few stops in some thrift stores and small antique shops along the way (browsing only of course).
i headed home but decided getting out of the car for a bit and maybe enjoying a beer and snack might feel good after driving around most of the day.
i stopped at this place in Duanesburg and ordered a blue moon (maybe what inspired the doodle a little?) and grabbed my notebook and started scribbling away, glancing up every once in a while at the quick pick monitor as the gentleman to my right was eagerly watching each number hit hoping for a win. i smiled at him. he introduced himself: he was a man in his 60s named Jim, with a daughter and son and 2 grand kids. he asked me if i had any lucky numbers for him and said he would split his winnings with me if he won, and i obliged with my usual: 1, 5, 8, 3 and 2 (2 is my fave and 1/5/83 is my bday).
he added them to his ticket and said thanks. as he went to play the numbers, another guy came up to the bar and parked to my left. i saw him staring intently down at my page as i scribbled. he smiled and said, 'i'm sorry to be forward or anything, but can i ask what you're doing there?'
''just, uh, scribbling i guess?" i replied and laughed a little.
'that's a pretty good scribble,' he said. 'are you an artist or something?'
"i'm actually a writer," i said. "well, i was a writer. i got laid off from my writing job in August," i added.
'that's awful,' he said. 'you should be an artist though, like a tattoo artist or something, cause that is really cool looking!' he added.
i laughed and said thanks, and he asked me a few more questions about why i was there by myself and so on, and introduced himself. his name was Rob. he was youngish, maybe in his mid twenties; a shorter, heavy set dude with blonde hair and a scruffly face. he told me about a late cousin he had who was an artist and was really creative and said that he was reminded of him when he saw my drawing. He ordered a beer and started watching whatever sports were on the TV over the bar as he remained next to me silent.
after a few moments, he turned to me with something in his hand and said, 'please just take this, and don't worry about it. just pay it forward or something.'
i was bewildered and a little nervous to be honest as i opened up what he had placed in my hand. i quickly saw it was a hundred dollar bill. i was speechless for a moment as he tried to walk away, but i quickly grabbed his arm and said, "i cannot accept this, thank you so much, i really do appreciate it, but you need to keep it!" he told me he had come into some good luck earlier in the day and really wanted me to have it, but i couldn't accept it. i just couldn't.
as much as it could have been helpful or fun to have an extra hundred dollars, there was just no way i could accept such a large gesture from a total stranger. he was now the bewildered one.
"while i truly am grateful and admire your generosity here," i explained, "just because you came into some money earlier doesn't mean you should be doling it out to perfect strangers. why not share it with your family? do you have any nieces or nephews?'' i said, thinking of what i might do with a fortune of sorts.
'i already gave out a ton to my family. and then a few more people i work and am friends with. you're the first person i've encountered all day that will not accept my gift.'
''or, maybe i'm just the first stranger?'' i said with a smile.
'and see, you've got such a great smile, i want to just take it back because you're asking me to, but i still want you to have it because you seem like such a great person!'
i laughed and thanked him again, and told him he could make a donation with it maybe and think of me or something. he smiled and said okay.
after that i finished up my beer and headed home. i thought the whole ride about that guy. about how nice it was for him to offer such a thing. i felt a little silly, and even rude i guess for turning him down, but i knew there was no way i would ever be able to spend that money without feeling odd about it, or wondering if i could put it to better use somehow.
no matter what though, he restored some of my faith in humanity that day. :)
...funny how a simple doodle can have so much of 'life' behind it, no? ;)
