ARE YOU AN ANGEL?

Three businessmen who were traveling to a conference together arrived late at the airport, and were rushing through the terminal to make it to the gate before their plane departed.

Suddenly, they rounded a corner, and ran ‘smack dab’ into a small kiosk, scattering its products all over the aisle, knocking the attendant off her stool; and landing rudely on the floor.

It so happened that the sales person was blind, and the wares she sold included gift baskets of different sorts; the primary content of the baskets, apples of various varieties.

After the businessmen regained their composure, and stood to their feet, one of the fellows helped the clerk up from the floor, apologized for the mishap, and explained that they were late for their flight, and (literally) had to run.

The trio resumed their race to their gate, when the man who helped the saleslady to her feet stopped in his tracks, made his compatriots aware that he would have to catch a late flight, and that he would (hopefully) see them at the conference.

“Thomas” simply could not leave the attendant to fend for herself. He knew if he ignored her, and boarded his flight, he would agonize over his rude behavior for days to come.

With this, the businessman strode back to the kiosk, where he found the blind “Miss Smithson” on her hands and knees feeling for apples, and dropping them into half empty gift baskets.

And he spoke.

“Excuse me, Miss. I’m one of those guys who just knocked over your stand. I’m back. Please let me help you.”

And with this, Thomas helped the young lady back onto the stool, asked a passerby to assist him with the lightweight kiosk, setting it back into place, and apologized again. While the attendant was very conducive, and uttered a heartfelt, “Thank you,” Thomas realized that if he made his way to the gate now, he would have felt as badly later, as if he had done nothing at all.

Pulling his wallet out of his back pocket, the traveler took out ten 20 dollar bills, slipped the cash into the hands of Miss Smithson, and said,

“Please take this money. It should be more than enough to pay for the loss of your gift baskets.”

The little blind lady was overwhelmed by the stranger’s kindness,  reached out her right hand to touch his face, and thanked him profusely for his kind gesture.

With this, Thomas bid his adieu’s, and turned to leave.

There was very little need to hurry now, and his gait was much slower than before. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice, though slightly louder now; since she was still standing next to her kiosk.

“Hey, Mister! Are you an angel?”

I think we need more people in this world who take a little time, and exercise a little effort to behave themselves like angels.


by William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Pt. 72. Copyright Pending.

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