This is Kyle, from Cupertino, California. I got an e-mail from him the day after the TFT website was launched. He would, he said, like to meet me somewhere to pick up some beanie babies, and to foot the cost of some shipping.It was then that I was aware that I'd overlooked placing my own city on the website. As much as I'd have loved flying to California to give Kyle a box o' beanies, it wasn't that economical. I couldn't even meet him at the half-way point, really.
But Kyle wanted to DO something. I gave him a few ideas.
I got an email back from him this week. It reads, in part:
I just got back from the PO where I sent off a
package with the following enclosed;
4 deflated soccer balls
6 inflation needles
4 packs Tabasco flavored hot peanuts (they are GOOD
:-))
4 packs Beef Jerky
10 pounds of homemade trail mix (peanuts, M&Ms, and
raisins)
1 note saying hi and keep your head low
Speechless, I was, reading this. Shaking my head, and just...speechless. Though I always think people are generally nice, I can't seem to wrap my mind around all of you nice people that are going way out of your way to play along with us.
I know the young man that Kyle's package is going to. He's been in my home a few times, and I've driven him back and forth to Georgia, along with Brian. He's an artist, and he enjoyed Art Co-op, while he was in this town. He holds your door for you. He asks you to turn up the stand-up comedy, when it shuffles through the iPod. For an hour or so, on one of our trips, he read odd facts to us from a "useless knowledge" book I bought Brian for his birthday. He's looking forward to college, when he's done in the Army.
And Kyle did a very nice thing, for this young man, One of Ours. Just like that, he just went out and went shopping, and packed up a box and shipped it off. Just like that!
And you know what just kills me?
Kyle thanked ME, for "the opportunity to share in the helping."
I still shake my head, as I write.
