I got in my car intending to go to Barnes and Noble for the afternoon – to sit by the fire, drink a chai latte, and read a book. But I looked to my right as I pulled out of my driveway and saw the mailman struggling against the wind to get his car door open.
Eureka! (This means I had an idea.)
I quickly bought a hot chocolate and went back down by where the mail trucks leave so I could give it to the mailman. When I got there though, he was already gone.
What am I going to do, just sit here and wait until some other mailman comes and then ambush him with hot cocoa? Yes.
I saw the UPS guy start his truck. He was on the move.
I don’t know why, but for some reason, giving this man hot chocolate felt a lot more like planning to abduct him.
I followed him as he pulled out of the lot and luckily went straight to the Credit Union next door. I pulled into the same parking lot where I could wait for (stalk) him. When I saw him go inside the Credit Union, I got out of my car and walked a little down the sidewalk so that when he came out, it would look like I was just walking up.
He finally came out and I bounded towards him, rambling something unintelligible about it being really cold outside and him needing hot chocolate – meanwhile, the wind blew his hood back and he looked longingly towards his warm truck.
“No you drink it!” He said, appearing extremely confused by my behavior.
But I repeated my ramblings and essentially forced the cocoa into his hands.
“Well, thank you!” He smiled politely and I left to get in my car.
He’s probably allergic to chocolate. Or he’s lactose intolerant or something. Whatever. He can use it as a hand warmer at the very least.
My car spun out three times as I started back on the road, and I decided to choose my life over a chai latte at Barnes and Noble. But for all the people in Buffalo that are forced to be on the road this morning: drive safe, and I hope a hot chocolate finds its way into your hands!
365 Firsts in Twenty-Fourteen 