January 11, 2020: An Act of Kindness
Song: “An Act of Kindness” by Bastille from Wild World
(from loomyhome.com)
“Look!” Vinnie announced, heard before seen, as he approached Jacinda’s cubicle, “I got you a new rug for your front hall!”
Jacinda glanced over and smile slightly, shaking her head. “That’s really sweet but I changed my mind about that. I’ve decided I really like the hardwood unadorned.”
“Oh,” he sighed, slumping.
“It is so sweet though! If you just want to leave it here I can donate it to the Boys and Girls store on 8th. I’m pretty sure they take rugs.”
Vinnie nodded and mumbled a thanks, starting to walk away.
A moment later, he straightened up and scampered back.
He grabbed the rug and began to drag it back across the audience.
“What are you doing?”
“I can bring it to donate. You don’t have to.”
“It’s three blocks in the opposite direction of your train. It’s right on my way home.”
“Yeah…well…I like to walk.”
Jacinda stared at him.
“I do!” he replied, a bit too defensively.
She cocked her head.
“Fine. Maybe I don’t. But…it just defeats the whole purpose.”
“Purpose?”
Vinnie tried to wave Jacinda but she pressed him on what he meant. Finally, he relented.
“See, last week you brought me a coffee.”
“I…did?”
He nodded, “Yeah from the new place around the corner.”
“Oh! Right. You mentioned it a couple of times and I was out for a walk and thought I’d surprise you.”
“Exactly! So you did me a favor.”
“I mean, it was just a little surprise.”
“Which is like a favor.”
“It is?”
“Well favor adjacent anyway.”
“Ok.”
“So I can’t just…let you do a favor for me. I have to pay you back.”
“Isn’t the point of a favor is that you do it just because? That there is no expectation of payback.”
Vinnie shook his head at that. “No. No, no, no. That’s what we say favors are about. But they aren’t. Favors need to be paid back and as quickly as possible.”
“Not to me.”
“Fine but for the rest of the world, it does.”
She paused then, exasperated. Sighing she prepared to let it go. But then something occurred to her.
“A rug is WAY more expensive than a cup of coffee.”
Vinnie shrugged, “Ok, yeah. True. But I’m like so far behind you.”
“What do you mean? You said this was about cup of coffee.”
“It is. But it’s really all about a whole lot of other things.”
He could read on Jacinda’s face that what he was saying wasn’t registering.
“Ok, wait here.”
He ran back to his desk and then returned as quick as quick can be. He puffed in front of her a moment before tossing a spiral binder on her desk.
“So you started here 13 months ago. When you first got here, I gave you an extra planner and desk calendar I had in my cubicle. So I was ahead.”
“I thought that was just a nice thing you were doing.”
“Well…I mean…sure it was. But it was also a favor. Owing each other things is the key to a good office. Creating connections. Creating reasons to help one another.”
“Anyway, about a week after that you heard me complaining that the batteries in my dancing robot were dying and you gave me a pack of double As you had in your desk. Pretty close to even.”
“You wrote this all down?”
“Yes. I like to be accountable.”
“For being nice?”
“Oh yes. Without accountability, I am sure I’d be a monster. Let me reassure you of that. Taking gifts and favors all over the place and not even thinking about paying them back. Not. A. Once. So writing everything down forces me to be my best self.”
“That sounds…kinda terrible?”
“Eh, we’re not all as naturally kind as you. Anyway, we went back and forth with little stuff for awhile but then you invited me to that concert. For free. Then we had dinner a week ago.”
“Which we split.”
“Evenly, yes. But my meal cost way more. And three days ago, you asked me if I wanted to be your guest for some big show a friend of yours is putting on. Everyone is excited for this thing and you invited me. Now that is a way bigger deal then a rug.”
Jacinda looked away, blushing.
“It was a date,” she mumbled.
“Huh?”
“It wasn’t a favor, it was a date. I was trying to go on a date with you. Like the dinner. Like the concert.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“So…”
“Yeah.”
“In a way then…it’s like, by going, I was doing you a favor.”
“What?!”
“I mean…”
“Think hard about this sentence.”
“I was just saying that—”
“That you were thrilled to go on a date with me?” Jacinda asked, annoyance rising.
“Umm”
“And neither of us is doing favors for the other one, we’re just getting to know each other and maybe having a relationship after that?”
“That…I mean…you are very attractive.”
“I am.”
“And you’re fun.”
“I’m incredibly fun.”
“I’m sort of an idiot sometimes.”
“Often,” she suggested.
Vinnie shrugged and agreed, “Often.”
Both went quiet then until Jacinda grew annoyed once more.
“So…?”
“You still want to go on a date with me?”
“God knows why, but yes.”
“So I should probably throw away the notebook.”
“Immediately.”
“And wear a suit?”
“Yes.”
“And we’ll forget I did this?” he added, hopefully.
“No. I’m going to tell everyone about this.”
“Oh.”
“A lot.”
“Right.”
“And people are going to laugh so every hard.”
“That makes sense.”
“Now go. Leave the rug. Bring me a coffee later today.”
“And we’ll be even,” he said with a smile.
“Oh no. Not even close.”
“Fair.”
Vinnie strolled back to his desk, cheeks burning and smiling wide. There were worse ways to be deeply embarrassed.