My Mom on a Bike and a Marine

My mom came to visit me on the 18th.

I took her for a bike ride.  I cannot tell you the last time I saw her on a bike.. if ever.  It's safe to say that it has been a very long time.  I took her all over.  We rode with the beach on our left down to the harbor and had lunch at Joe's Crab Shack.

I then led her to downtown Oceanside, where we got some frozen yogurt.  I love this new flavor that they have at the Red Cup.  It is Key Lime Cupcake.  It is a mixture of Lime sorbet and cake batter... it is delicious!

As we were eating our yogurt outside, a young Marine came and sat down... with a book.  It looked like he was studying.  Enter a group of three old men.  One old man decided to yell and cuss profusely at another old man.  The cusser sat down with the Marine.  The other two walked on.  The man that sat down with the Marine told him some story about trying to get the other man on the train, but didn't have enough money to get him there.  He asked the Marine if he had some money.

The Marine walked to his car, got all of the change that he had and gave it to the old man.  The old man left.

Then the Marine got back to studying.

Along comes two older black gentlemen.  One walks on... the other decides to talk to the Marine, and then leaves.

The Marine goes back to studying.

I decided that I would buy him some frozen yogurt, because he was really nice to the old man and didn't have to be.  Also, just to thank him for his service.  If I had been by myself, I probably would not have done it, but there is strength in numbers and having my mom near, helped me.

I got him the keylime cupcake, of course... and added sprinkles.

This is how I approached him.  "Excuse me, I got you some yogurt!  To say thank you and you didn't have to be nice to that old man, but you were.!"  He kind of just stared at me and then said thank you.  I don't know if I was aggressive in my talk, but I sure felt as if I was.  Ha ha.

My mom and I hopped on our bikes and as we rode by I said to the Marine, "Have a good day!".  He said, "You too, thank you!"

I like to think I helped make his day better and that I ended his many study interruptions.  It is all about paying it forward, right?

Well, my mom and I left and rode down along the strand and enjoyed the cool breeze and the summer sun.  Later we walked to the pier for dinner at Ruby's.  It was a good day.

Have you done a random act of kindness lately?