Two men - the only passengers - on a rental car shuttle back to the airport from the car return location. The younger of the two, - but still probably in his late 40s to mid 50s, as he gets off at his airline stop, wishes the driver a happy Thanksgiving, and says to the other passenger, "I hope it goes OK with your mom."
The kindness of strangers ... come below for a short background to the comment.
On relatively short notice I got word from my sister that my very elderly mother was beginning to get more confused and forgetful, and even though she lived in a continuing care community, her ability to manage in her independent studio was rapidly declining. My sister, who lives nearby, was heading out on a two week trip to visit her kids and grandkids, and so I figured I needed to fly up and spend TG day with Mom (and see nearby daughter as a bonus). To keep things short ... Mom has gotten to the point where she has trouble operating the phone, and on Thanksgiving Day and again on Friday, we had to have the security folks go up and correctly hang up the phone for her so it wouldn't ring busy forever.
And so today - after two days with mom, and now on my way back to the airport, sitting on the rental shuttle, I try to call Mom one more time before leaving - to check in and remind her to take her meds. And again, the phone is not picked up (just rings this time). So - again - I call the front desk security, explain who I am and ask that they check on Mom again. I am told to wait 15 minutes before trying to call back, so that security has time to get up and check on things.
So the stranger on the shuttle heard my side of the conversation, and on his way off the bus, in a soft and empathic voice, said, "I hope it goes OK with your mom."
This was New York, New York, the Big Apple. And the kind words of a stranger touched me. Something for me to be thankful for.
(and I was able to reach Mom. And she was as OK as she could be, under the circumstances.)