Something happened to me yesterday that really blew me away. It was a simple act of kindness (and a great act of excellent customer service) and I had to share it.

I was making pasta salad because I have had a huge craving for it and am really dying for summer to come. Alas, I had forgotten to purchase Italian dressing – arguably the most important ingredient of any good pasta salad.

I didn’t really want to take the T to the closest grocery store or trek down to Centre street where my choices are CVS who might not have had it and City Feed, where I would have had to buy some fancy organic local dressing that probably would have cost me an arm and a leg.

First, I headed to the trusty corner store. Sadly, they let me down. As I was walking downtrodden back to my apartment at the thought of having to spend half an hour going to Stop & Shop because I absentmindedly didn’t buy the ingredient when I was there less than 24 hours ago, I remembered there is another corner store close by.

I have only been there a few times, but I like going because the middle aged Asian man who owns the store and his darling preteen son are always a pleasure to interact with. Luckily for me, they had a small bottle of Italian dressing. But just as I had feared, there was a $10 debit card minimum and the only cash I had were the quarters for laundry sitting in my bedroom at my apartment.

When I turned around to either put the dressing back or figure out $10 worth of stuff to buy, the owner waved me over and said “No, no! It’s fine! You take it, I’ll give you a receipt and you come pay me later.”

I was flabbergasted. I am by no means a regular costumer and don’t really have much of a relationship with the guy. It was just an act of kindness to a girl who really, really needed some Italian dressing.

I went back today to pay him and he tried to not accept my money! Of course I insisted.

Not only did he get his $4, but he just got himself a loyal customer.