In Charleston, SC, just before Christmas a couple of years ago, I was wearing a Christmas tie with a drawing of Santa on the front from the charity organization “Save the Children”. The back of the tie read “’Hear Comes Santa’, Painted by Laura, Age 9.”
After the last day of work before leaving for Christmas vacation, the night was already black and cold at 6 P.M. On the way home I needed gas and stopped at a gas station I had never used. After I filled up the tank I went inside to get a bottle of water. As I entered the door of the crowded mini-mart a man did a double-take on the tie I was wearing, approached me and said, “Excuse me, sir, does your tie say on the back that it was done by a child?” I agreed it did, and as I said, “It was done by…,” he interrupted and said “Laura” at the same time I did.
His face brightened and he went on, “My daughter did that drawing years ago. She said, ‘Daddy, I entered a contest, I’m going to win a $500 Savings Bond.’ I told her it was probably a scam, but it wasn’t. She won the savings bond from Save the Children! She’s 23 now and lives in Long Island. Wow that is so cool.”
“We chatted a moment about the weather and then he asked, “May I use my phone and take a picture of that tie?”. I quickly obliged and posed for the picture, but it seemed hollow and somehow, just not enough. I followed him out to his car with the intention of giving him the tie. As I passed the tie through the window of his SUV, he at first refused. I explained to him that I never bought gas at that station, and that if I hadn’t wanted a bottle of water I never would have gone into the store; that somehow this was all meant to happen.
He held up the tie, cracked a smile as he examined it and said, “My daughter and I haven’t seen each other in a long time…she’s coming here next week for Christmas, I can wear this to the airport to meet her.” Then he started to cry.
We shook hands and I left; …damp eyed, without a tie, and with a wonderful feeling of how closely connected we all can be, even if it is just at Christmas.