A Little Light Goes a Long Way
So this morning, I wandered into a Thornton's gas station, specifically the one in Blue Island on Western Ave. I love that gas station. They have great donuts, and their cappuccino machine actually tastes good...in direct comparison to the BP gas station on 123rd and Cicero in Alsip. Their cappuccino machine waters down the drinks, and they generally taste like nothing, which sucks, because other than that, it's such a welcoming environment. I've actually seen cops sitting in there in the middle of the night, drinking coffee and chatting around the fireplace, which is in and of itself a bit of a strange sight to being with. The Thornton's also has a pretty blond who works there. Pretty ladies are always a great way to start the day, so yeah, it's definitely my go to gas station, although I actually pass quite a few others to get there.But I digress, so I stop in to Thornton's to get a banana and an orange juice and some gas. After grabbing my items, there is a gentleman waiting near the counter. He turns to me and says "Seasons Greetings!" in an especially cheery voice, with a huge smile on his face. Now, I've either recently discovered, or recently come to terms with the fact that my hearing is rubbish (actually going to see a doctor soon on this issue), so I don't initially register what he says, and say "I'm sorry?"
Seasons Greetings young man! And Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah...and what's that other variation that we celebrate...
...to which another man standing beside me offers "Kwanzaa!"
"Yes! Kwanzaa! It's a beautiful day out. I love this weather, and I could live with this for the rest of the winter. You don't have to shovel it!"
Now I was coming off of a bit of a foggy morning. I took some Nighttime Theraflu last night after being slammed with something that was crawling up my back all weekend. Adding to that fact that I had a long weekend overall, I didn't have a smile on my face at that exact moment. I was still walking off the haze of deep sleep and over-the-counter drugs......but this man immediately put a smile on my face. "Seasons Greetings to you as well" I replied as I walked up to the counter, flashing a big smile to the aforementioned blond, whom I've only actually seen smile once or twice. I got a bit of a smirk in return.As I exited the gas station back into the rain, I felt better. It was a reminder that a little light can go a long way. That gentleman not only made my day better, but the gentleman who was standing next to me, who chuckled when he offered the answer "Kwanzaa", and the ladies behind the counter who were smiling and had been chatting with the man before I approached the counter.So take that with you on this overcast and raining Monday morning...a little light goes a long way.Also, as a side note, just as I typed those last two paragraphs, the sun began poking through the clouds here in the West Loop.Happy Monday Morning!!!