The Kindness of Strangers

Things generally seem to work out the way they are supposed to, don't they? We decided to just stay put for the girls' week-long spring break from school to tackle some house and garden projects. And one of my oldest friends had planned to visit for a few days. So glad we were home, and so glad my friend was here. Our old dog Murphy stopped eating her food and began pacing....it was time to put her down. She had been in decline for the last year. Murphy didn't really recover from our trip up north last summer....she had lost a lot of weight and wasn't able to gain it back, even with all our food interventions. We knew where things were headed, but anyone who has ever had a pet (especially a pet that lived with you for 15 years) knows how tough it is to make that final trip to the vet. John found a new vet office on White Street that just seemed to call to him. We both went over Wednesday morning and met Dr. Householder. If someone has to put your pet to sleep, we certainly found the kindest and most compassionate man for the job. John and I made an appointment for a few hours later, and headed home to talk to the girls and say good bye to Murphy. The girls knew there would come a day when we had to do this, so they were prepared. And sad. My friend snuggled in with them while we took the dog over to White Street. Dr. Householder and his staff handled things so wonderfully. When it was over, he gave me what I call a 'dad hug' and God knows I needed it. And in true Key West fashion, he offered to go out out for a beer with us if we needed it. This morning I was going through the mail that came in while we were out of town for a few days. One of the items was a lovely handwritten card from the vet's office. The tears came on again, not just for Murphy but for their great kindness. And there was so much more kindness shared.....I feel like the island gave us all a hug. The waitress at Southernmost Beach Cafe sent us home with some free key lime pie to cheer us up. The staff at Poco Pelo Chic surrounded me with kind words while I got a cut and color that afternoon. How many people have hair stylists that text them at 11 pm at night to say 'I love you'? I do. The next day we went to the new Thursday morning Green Market in Bayview Park. I saw some of my new 'foodie' friends....people I have met since I started my blog and started writing for a local newspaper. One of my favorites is Mozzarella Mark. Not only does he make the best mozzarella, he's a good guy. When we were leaving he called me back and gave me a free piece of his awesome cheese and a hug. I don't think he knew what was going on in my life, Mark was just being awesome. There is a saying that you should be kind to everyone you come into contact with because you don't know what they might be dealing with in their life. People were. And I will pay it forward.