My husband and I were at Disney World right before the global health crisis hit. We’re strictly kosher. I did my homework and found out that there was one quick-service restaurant in every park where kosher food was available, BUT it was frozen and took time to rewarm.

Disney World between December 21st and 28th is just the teeniest bit busy, so when the staff told us there would be a bit of a delay, we took it in stride. Whatever. We were on vacation. Wait times for the rides were a bit longer than we were used to, but that was okay with us — us Toronto hicks with our cute little amusement park just outside the city limits.

We were off to one side, happily waiting for our food. And after about half an hour, one of the crew members came up to us.

Crew Member: “You know, you’ve been waiting too long. I’m comping this.”

It was totally unexpected. I don’t think we even asked at any point, “How much longer?” It was our third day, and we’d pretty much accepted that this was going to be our normal. That was a really nice perk that was completely unanticipated and obtained without fuss or causing a scene.

It’s Halloween, and of course, there are many kids walking around in various costumes, some fairly creative, some store-bought, but this one costume really stands out among the rest to me.

I see a kid, about middle-school age, and her younger sister walking down my driveway toward my house, nothing special. The younger sister is dressed as a princess. How cute!

However, the older sister is dressed up far differently. She is dressed in a full business suit, a tie, slacks, even a big pair of square frame glasses, but two things are off about the costume. The first is the addition of a pair of headphones with a mic on them, which I think nothing of until I see the second unusual part of the costume, which is a sign hung around her neck with something written on it, though I can’t make out what it says at first. 

As the two approach closer, though, I am finally able to see what the sign says, and they come up to me on my patio. The older sister speaks first, saying exactly what is on the sign around her neck.

Older Sister: “Hi. We’ve been trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty.”

I burst out laughing, not only because the costume itself was great, but also because I hadn’t received any calls from the extended warranty people for a couple of weeks by this point, so that made this costume even funnier to me. After calming myself down, I expressed my amazement at the costume and then made sure to give the older call center sister and her young princess sister extra candy for making my Halloween.

When I worked for a lovely cosmetic company in a lovely department store, we had this wonderful lady, Lorraine, who would come in every few months to get her “beauty cream.” But that is not all she would do.

She “baked bread and made rugs for the Lord” — her words, not mine. Every time she came in, she would hand over at least six loaves of delicately prepared bread. We’re talking all types: banana, fruit, spice, etc. If you said anything about a kind of bread, she would bring it the next time, and she would never take a dime for any of it.

Her rugs were elegant and were charged as such. I wish I had gotten one. But being a retail worker on less than minimum wage, I could not spare payment for such beauty because bills must be paid.

Eventually, poor Lorraine could not drive herself anymore, as she was getting into her nineties, so whenever we had a big promotion with good deals, I would call her.

Lorraine: “I would love to come in, but I have to wait for my son to bring me, and I’m not sure when that will be.”

Me: “Lorraine, you’re wonderful. And even though I’m not allowed, I will bring this to you.”

She happily agreed. So, every few months, I would call and see how she was on her product. (I’m lying here; I would call her about once a week to check on her. Don’t judge me; she was an amazing person.) And every few months, I would deliver what she needed.

She was always so happy and greeted me at the door. And every single time, she would offer me tea and tell me stories, and she was just so elated that I was there. My heart was always so full when I left, and it was always hard to leave. In the bad winter months, she would always offer to let me stay in her home.

She was the most amazing person I’ve met. I want to be her.

I cried when I didn’t hear from her for a while and saw the obituary. I think of her so very often, and the kindness she spread will always resonate with me.

I’m sharing her story in hopes to keep her alive forever. Rest in peace, Lorraine. I strive to be the amazing person you were.

Be like Lorraine.

This story is part of our end-of-year Feel Good roundup for 2022!

Read the next Feel Good 2022 story!

Read the Feel Good 2022 roundup!

I’m a bus assistant on a special needs bus. One day, the bus driver and I were pulling out of the bus lot when a bee flew in through an open window. Not wanting to get stung, I quickly moved to another seat.

Me: “Oh, bee! Nope, not happening today.”

The driver pulled over to the side of the parking lot.

Driver: “I can get it. Bees listen to me.”

Me: *Laughing* “What?”

Driver: “No, I’m serious.”

She put the bus in park, grabbed a sheet of paper, and walked to the seat the bee was crawling on.

Driver: “Come here, bee.”

To my surprise, it crawled onto the paper. She stuck the paper with the bee out the open window.

Driver: “Okay, fly away now.”

And the bee did exactly as it was told. We continued on our bus route with zero bees.

Last week, my wife and I checked in to a downtown hotel in a city we were visiting. In the part of the transaction where I was asked to swipe my credit card for incidentals, the front desk worker began to nervously stutter out the reasons why she needed it. I immediately understood that she was probably anticipating yet another jerk pushing back.

I politely interrupted with a smile.

Me: “I understand and accept the reasons that you need it.”

And I swiped my card. Done.

The look on her face was really sweet. I could tell she was relieved she wouldn’t have to do the whole song and dance. I felt so bad for her that she most likely has to deal with this so often during every shift.