I've been thinking lately I should write more or write again or whatever. It's a much better hobby than phone scrolling! Last weekend in San Antonio I made some notes in my phone about things I should write about, but then I never did. Maybe they will come later.
Today is the World's Most Beautiful Saturday and my heart started out full. Sunshine, cool/tolerable weather, brunch with Mr. Hickman at a new place (La Gabriella - I had avocado toast), errands, top down on the Jeep. Life is good.
And one of my teacher friends posted this on Facebook this morning.
All morning as we piddled around town I thought about making sure I got there right at 1:00 so I could make a donation and get something delicious because A) I love food and B) I love kids. Around 12:30 I ran to HEB to get ingredients to make dinner, then I headed on over to Miles's bake sale, excited about an afternoon treat!
Now, I do not know Miles or his family. I know people who know them because we live in a big small town and he went to my schools.
(Sidebar: all CS schools were my schools but now they're not my schools but they still are but also Elgin schools are my schools and I love them all with my whole heart although it's weird to have two schools be my schools when only one school was for so long. Makes sense, right? )
Anyway.
Here's what I know about him: he was a contestant on Master Chef Junior and his was born without a portion of one arm. The idea behind the "bake sale" was to raise money for him to get a prosthetic. Sign me up, right?!?
(Sidebar #2: "Bake sale" sounds like I threw together some cupcakes in my kitchen to pay for my Girl Scouts uniform. This kid's food is gourmet amazing, but I'm not sure what else to call the even so "bake sale" it is.)
When I got there, the line was SO SO SO LONG! Like, a line I would not have stood in normally because it was too long. But it's the World's Most Beautiful Saturday and I had nothing else to do, so I waited.
Miles was torching creme brulees as fast as he could while people chatted and waited patiently. Around 1:20 an adult made an announcement - only blackberry cobbler and creme brulees were left, but you could leave your name and order on a sheet of paper and they would get it to you later this week. They were all but sold out twenty minutes into their fundraiser!
Not one person left the line.
I decided I would just take whatever they had left when I got to the front of the line or at least make a donation, but I was really hoping for some creme brulee because it's my all time favorite dessert. I inched closer to the front.
Person after person wrote orders on the sheet of paper. Creme brulees were torched. I got closer.
A man came up from the parking lot - maybe 25-35 age range. He stopped Miles's dad and said, "He did so great on Master Chef! I mean, he's awesome! Can I just make a donation?"
The dad seemed surprised, replied "of course!" and called Miles over. The man then told Miles he should keep cooking and that he hopes to see him on Master Chef someday, then handed him a hundred bucks and walked away.
Finally I made it to the front of the line. While Miles torched my smores and classic creme brulees, I heard his mom tell someone that their oven went out twice this week with all the cooking and that the first few customers bought all of the full sized pies before 1:00!
Y'all.
Today, on the World's Most Beautiful Saturday I was reminded that people are good. For real. A kid is working for something he wants. His family is helping. And his community showed up smiling and happy. I thought I was going to cry with overwhelming joy right there, thankful for my sunglasses to hide my tears.
Again, I don't know these people personally, and I don't want to steal their thunder on a great event, but it absolutely made my day. Their little event was a reminder for all of us who came that in the midst of political turmoil and divisiveness we're all just people capable of showing up for one another.
It was The World's Most Beautiful Saturday. All because of a kid with a bake sale.
P.S. - I don't know how to get money to this kid, but if I find out I will definitely share a Venmo or something.
P.S.S. - My dessert was fantastic!
