Tea and sympathy

[sabotabby]

Last week, a drunk woman horked behind where I was walking, and laughed at me when I shrieked in shock.

Today, as I was walking home, I saw two dark figures wrestling with what looked like sleeping gear on my front step. My landlord? No. As I came closer, I saw that it was the same woman (I don't know if she recognized me) and another man I've seen panhandling in the area. They asked me for change—I honestly didn't have any—and as I stepped around them, they apologized profusely; they hadn't realized that they'd chosen my doorstep on which to panhandle.

"It's okay," I assured them. Then, "Hey, do you guys want some tea?"

I might as well have sprouted two heads. I'm pretty sure of all the reactions they were expecting, this wasn't one of them.

"Yeah," the guy said. "Two sugars?"

"Sure." I turned to the woman. "And you?"

He prodded her. "Oh, uh. Two sugars."

"Coming right up. I'll put the kettle on."

I put the kettle on, took my coat and boots off, and made them some tea with two sugars each. I don't think they were expecting me to come back out. I offered them some Clamato that Uncle Joe had brought over, but they weren't interested in that. The tea was good, though. I apologized for not inviting them in, since it was a cold night, but I had to get to bed.

Life's been kicking me in the ass lately, but I'm pretty sure it's kicked them exponentially worse. A cup of tea isn't much but if you don't have dignity and humanity, what else do you have?

Comments

[corwin77.livejournal.com]

This makes me glad to know you.
<3

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

You. Fucking. Rock.

Period.

[akisawana.livejournal.com]

You are a saint, woman!

[icedrake.livejournal.com]

!

Thank you.

[lienne.livejournal.com]

Things like this are why you are such an amazing person. I love you. ♥

[umadoshi.livejournal.com]

I firmly believe that giving people tea is a wonderful thing under any circumstances. Comfort and warmth in a cup.

tea.

[corvus.livejournal.com]

Re: tea.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

Your icon, it happyies me.

[marydell.livejournal.com]

You are awesome.

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

Word.

Also, this pretty much illustrates all that stuff that makes you awesome.

[funnel101.livejournal.com]

Yes, this. :)

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

You are so awesome!

[sugarmommaless.livejournal.com]

This is so lovely.
Now I wish I hadn't deleted my pretty tea icon.

[poetic-pixie-13.livejournal.com]

I love you, really and truly. You're amazing. ♥

[xturtle.livejournal.com]

You are fabulous. What a great thing to do on a near-winter evening (OK, if you're anything like Minnesota up there, it's already winter).

[secretsoflife.livejournal.com]

tea, dignity, and humanity ftw.

[khalinche.livejournal.com]

Yes.

You are awesome.

[jamie-miller.livejournal.com]

see, this is why you are a good person.

[ivytheadventure.livejournal.com]

<3

[kchew.livejournal.com]

This is me, liking you a good deal.

[deanarae.livejournal.com]

I don't really understand why, but I see this as the most incredibly empowering way possible to counteract the horking/laughter incident. I guess it's because you could have chosen to do something mean instead, had a bit of vengeance, perpetuated meanness, and probably would have wound up feeling bad. Instead you did something so human and kind, probably feel good about it, and may have effectively neutralized the meanness.