By way of my beloved and indulgent sister: a man and his wife are planning to celebrate the holiday holed up in their house. In Buffalo.
Cutting to the chase, instead of digging the van out (these people weren’t going anywhere in that snow) they invited the travelers in.
The visitors — seven women and three men — filled the three-bedroom house, sleeping on couches, sleeping bags, an air mattress and in the home’s guest bedroom. The other travelers included parents with their daughter, an Indiana college student, and two college-age friends from Seoul. Three of them spoke English proficiently.
They spent the weekend swapping stories, watching the Buffalo Bills defeat the Chicago Bears on Christmas Eve and sharing delicious Korean home-cooked meals prepared by the guests, like jeyuk bokkeum, a spicy stir-fried pork dish, and dakdori tang, a chicken stew laced with fiery red pepper. To the surprise and glee of the Korean guests, Mr. Campagna and his wife, who are both fans of Korean food, had all the necessary condiments on hand: mirin, soy sauce, Korean red pepper paste, sesame oil and chili flakes. There was also kimchi and a rice cooker.
…
Really, the only downside to this story from my point of view is that the Buffalo Bills won. The rest of the tale warms the cockles of my heart.
This is the way I grew up. My parents were like this. I would come home from football practice at 6 pm, to find someone eating dinner with us, and spending the night on our couch. They owned a restaurant, so in bad winter weather, they would have a couple of waitresses sleeping over to be able to be sure to make it in to work in the morning.
I went through a divorce at age 30, and move in with them for awhile. I came upon a couple whose car broke down on their way to the upper peninsula of our state of Michigan. I brought them to my parents home, and we towed the car to a friend of the family just around the corner, who was a mechanic.
My parents took them up to their restaurant, fed them, and the couple slept in their tent in our yard. The friend fixed their car and they were on the road the next afternoon. They paid the mechanic for his work, but my parents of course, would not let them pay them a dime.
My parents never took money for any of the things they did for people. One friend of mine who lived on a farm outside of town about 10 miles, could not play football because he had no ride home after practice. So my dad would take him home every night after he got home from work, at the foundry, and practice was done.
My parents did in debt, and it took me nearly 5 years as executor of their will to get things settled. I paid quite a bit of money out of my own pocket. My 4 siblings were of no help. I was glad to do so. I felt like I honored my parents memories, for the lives that they lived, and even though I was the youngest, I know the reason they asked me to do the job was because I would ensure things were done right. My sister even told me to not pay for the funeral, as the small town funeral director often forgave those who did not pay. Her own husband was one who he never got paid for the funeral arraignments. I was amazed to think that she would suggest that for my parents.
This story is how my America used to be. It has nothing to do with being a Christian or not, but how everyone used to be towards each other. We have lost so much in my lifetime. I wish I could live long enough to see it return to this type of ideal.
There are times when I agree with you, pigpen.
Then there are other times where I think: no, this happens all the damn time in America. We just don’t hear about it because, unless there’s some sort of human interest angle (as I think there was in this case: also I think it is a slow news week) it just doesn’t get press coverage.
When I’m at my most optimistic, I feel like there’s a lot more kindness in the world than we’re aware of. Unless we are on the giving or receiving end.
I think that you may be right. I saw news stories of how the people of Buffalo New York came together to help each other shovel out, etc.
So when people have their worst, they are at their best. I just get discouraged when I see so much outrageous behavior from people not being punished, but eyes turned the other way by the authorities.
I have always said the American people are what makes the country work, along with our Constitution.
I think that you may be right. I saw news stories of how the people of Buffalo New York came together to help each other shovel out, etc.
So when people have their worst, they are at their best. I just get discouraged when I see so much outrageous behavior from people not being punished, but eyes turned the other way by the authorities.
I have always said the American people are what makes the country work, along with our Constitution.