The Q-View

Did my semi-usual Thursday morning shopping trip to the Acme in the Manoa Shopping Center this morning. As I was wheeling down the cereal aisle, I noticed a guy with a big video camera near the front registers. I couldn’t tell what was up, so I made a U-turn and headed in the opposite direction.

I did not want to know, and I did not want to get on camera.

Ten minutes later, I notice the cameraman is videoing in checkout line number 7. Lots of people milling around, but everybody is smiling. Maybe it was an Acme promo being filmed. 

Darn, maybe I could have earned some residuals.

I head for the frozen food, finish my rounds, double back to get Gatorade—because why consult your list when you can add to your step total and waste time?—and head for checkout.

Where I am intercepted by a 6Action News reporter who tells me that Action News would like to pay for all the items in my cart! Which is quite a haul, about three times what was on my actual list.

Unfortunately, they also wanted to interview me. On camera. On a day I had skipped shaving. Sigh.

While a very efficient crew of people emptied the cart, scanned and bagged the items, and put them back in the cart, Katherine Scott asked me some questions about the importance of doing good things for people in connection with the upcoming Random Acts of Kindness Day.

This theme is actually very close to my heart, and I tried to articulate, without being hackneyed, but I probably failed miserably. The editing had better be really fantastic!

What I hope came across was the sentiment that we should go out of our way to show people respect, even if helping them is as simple as holding a door, as time-giving as engaging in conversation, or as generous as buying groceries.

I despise the smug, unearned superiority that some people seem to yearn for by disrespecting others, but, ignoring my normal pessimism, my belief is that most people want to help those who need it.

No less an authority than Jesus directed us to look out for the less fortunate in the Corporal Works of Mercy: feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, give drink to the thirsty, etc.

I’ll be watching the Action News story, when it airs, with eyes wide shut and fingers crossed that I said something that resonates.

If it does not, let me say it here: If you have the mercy and the means, pay it forward.

I’m planning on writing a check for $200, which I figure is what my cart was worth, and asking my pastor to use the money for parishioners who are struggling. Actions louder than my words. 

Be kind.