Caffeine Crisis

Sara Marsi — Providence Rhode Island

The way humans hunt for parking spaces and the manner in which animals hunt for food aren’t all that different. Suffering from severe caffeine deprivation, I was desperately circling the block to find a parking space at a crowded Starbucks.

A fellow addict walking by, flagged me down, and said she would go in and get me the coffee if I gave her the order. While she was inside, a spot opened up, and I was waiting by my car when she exited.

I thanked the stranger for the Caffe Mocha and opened my purse. She said the coffee was her treat. She went on to explain that she had metastatic cancer and with the time she had left, she wanted to perform as many good deeds as possible.

As it happened, I was a cancer survivor, and the two of us—complete strangers—shared a hug and some tears. She asked me to pay it forward, and ever since that day, I practice random acts of kindness for others as often as I can.