Maji's blog: "The Chronicles of Kindness"

As things go, if I become attached to a product, they will inevitably discontinue it. So as with my fave summertime drink for the last 4-5 yrs or so, Seagrams Green Dragon, a kind of melon tooter gin n juice mix.

With local stores out of stock, online I went to try and hunt down the last remnants of this product. I did find some here n there., but shipping to my state proved it was gonna painful at best. A few of the websites claiming to be able to deliver had a link to check for closest availability near me. So I clicked both and they came back with the Richmond ABC, and had a number to call.

I was already braced for a very condensending state office person to relay to me with underlyingly snide joy of how shit out of luck I was....but instead this bubbly angelic southern voice answered. Robin listened tentatively as I blathered about my dilemma and the path that led me to her.  Luckily the website showed a Seagrams item number which helped her out immensely. Without complaint she immediately went to work without so much as a sigh, but came back with "Iiiiiii'm not seeing any in our system here......." (she paused while I deflated) "buuuuut, I AM seeing a case of it in Arlington's inventory. If you give me a lil bit I will sure call up there and see if I can get them to pull it for you".  Im of course fists in the air muttering yesyes that she even went as far as checking for me.

About 2 hrs later she called me back, saying they boxed it for her, and will send it to her office. She said "It may take a bit, but I will get it on the next truck going to your local ABC store. I already called there to let them know it will be coming and marked for you. Doreen is the lady to talk to when you come to pick it up. Theres no shipping because it will be hitching a ride on our inventory trucks. Can I help you with anything else suga?" I said "You can listen to my feet do this jig on floor while I sing about how awesome you are". She snorted, and we "woooooed" simultaneously.  Then she said "well just call up there about Weds and check see if its there, so glad I could help".

Today, ....Doreen from the local store called me, to let me know that she had sumn for me. Evidently Robin gave her my number, and she took the time to let me know it came in a day early.

And......turns out Robin got me a closeout price for each bottle, the entire case was 58 dollars. Thats less than half the shelf price. Frikin incredible.

So I picked it up just a few minutes ago, and Doreen mentioned I could fill out a costumer service pamplet if I like.  I said absolutley, and so I did it right there and gave her a stellar review with comments to send back to her employers.

A complete stranger,  that in no way had to even entertain my inquiry & request, but regardless went above and beyond, simply cuz she wanted to help.

Ya may have heard me say, but my company xmas party was this past Sat night.

They had a makeshift casino, and for every 1000 dollars in chips you could redeem for a voucher to be entered into the prize drawing basket at the end of the night. Each employee already had one in by default.

I took a bit of a hit at craps, so switched over to blackjack, and started mopping up. As my winnings got up, I did manage to redeem one voucher. But as time drew on I accumilated quite a stockpile of chips, to which when I decided I best offload some more winnings, I found out the table was out of vouchers. :(

So I shrugged it of and kept playin just for fun. One of the corporate managers came past and commented on my towering payload, and I informed him of my ordeal, to which he scowled "aw man thats bs, hang on". He went and got the contracts girl that was sort of the organizer of the party, and she managed to pull 2 more from the craps table so I could redeem at least some of my chips. That gave me a total of 4 entries.

Now this still didnt bring much hope, with others that had been there since early on, and seen toting stacks of these pink tickets...needle/haystack.

They called time on the tables, and everyone dropped their stubs in the huge giftwrapped box. The moment was here, the most attentive portion of the night, where everyone hung on the words of the drawer, as she announced the recipients of an array of gift cards, appliances and electronics.

Then came the moment, the one I had written off, and was poised to congrat hopefully someone I knew.....when I heard my name.

It took a minute to register, and I must have looked a complete bafoon, but it soon became quite apparent from the pointing and "yes you's", that I had landed the grand prize for the night, the any destination vacation package.

So as it turns out, I did get to do my embarassing whiteboy moonwalk.

Today was a wave of accolades and congrats, with an occasional jeer, and a few right out bee stings, and offers to buy. But I got a year, so I think Ima tuck this one away for a bit, for when I really need that kicker.

Anyway, for those that know some of my tribulations, thought Id share news of a lil light shining my way. Like my boss/friend said, life dont shit on forever. (y)

Was feelin lazy and tired today after last nights outing. There wasnt squat to eat in the house without lengthy preparations, so I ran up to the local 7-11.

They have this new super broiler that can fix a pizza in merely 5 mins.

I went inside and told the guy workin the food side I would like one, and if they could start it for me, I was going to go fill up at the pump while they were doing that, and would pay for it after I got back in, as there were several people in line now.

Anyway, did that, and came back in, and by luck only 1 person was in line ahead of me. The girl had the register then, so the guy comes out and offers his hand saying "thank you". Of course Im confused, but shook his hand and said "yea?". He went on to say "you did a good thing there, giving me a chance to put your food on in between customers when convenient while you went and took care of something else. You dunno how many people cant or wont concentrate on more than one thing, and will stand there waiting, counting the minutes, and then wind up remembering something else and doing that after, and then want to know if we can heat their food back up. Thank you"

I literally lol'd, cause I could tell the dude was aggravated with people like that, hence him showing such appreciation for something that I didnt even register as a courtesy to him, but more for my own benefit. But it was nice of him to acknowledge nonetheless.

My company bought an entire 6 tier pallet of turkeys this year. All 18+ pounders.

Just so happened I already had one.

So on the way home yesterday, I diverted around to my hard time buddys house, and caught him and his wife literally about to walk out the door to shop for tday dinner stuff. Another ten mins and they would have been buying one.

*peace sign to the chest* Soul fix for the kid.

I think all will agree that Fu has become sort of a realm of negativity and purging in late years.

Folks are more often posting blogs highlighting some interaction of someone that offended them or someone they just want to ridicule for sport.

I thought I'd break it up a bit and start a thread to kind of catalog good things that happen, that often go unnoticed. A recognition of humanity.

Now Im not talking about someone buying a fu-gift and flaunting it as some symbol of unity, whether they even talk or not. I mean real, random, selfless acts of compassion, acceptance, acknowledgement or even just the endangered ideal of politeness.

I'll start off with the other day....

The Sentry Mart around the corner, my often stop for this and that. As you would guess owned by an indian fellow and his family.

While back they added a lil deli section, and I encouraged them to add some carolina bbq to thier menu, as they werent familiar with local quisine interests. They found a good source and started carrying it, and it sells like mad.

When I got back from my cali trip, I stopped in. They all asked where Id been, and told them I was bouncing round west coast for work again.

Told em I was missing me some pull pork NC style, and to hook it up large. I grabbed drink and some other snackies.

Went to pay for my stuff, and he slid my card back to me....said "welcome home buddy" in his indian accent.

Took a minute to register that he was giving me the stuff, then we clinked fists and bid "Ahl zjho" which is their sorta thier "have a nice day".

I didnt realize I was even a fixture of any sort in there, so it made me feel pretty good that they recognized I do a lot of business in there, and that they even noticed that I hadnt been around.

Little acts, big effect.