The Kid Who Helped Me Carry Groceries

I was struggling to carry six bags of groceries up the three flights of stairs to my apartment when a kid of about twelve came bounding up behind me. Without asking, he grabbed three bags and carried them up for me.

At my door, I offered him a few dollars. He looked offended. "My grandma said always help people with groceries," he said, and ran back downstairs before I could argue.

I found out later that he lived on the first floor with his grandmother. So I baked her a loaf of banana bread, and brought it down with a note: "Your grandson is a gentleman."

Now, every time he sees me coming with bags, he runs out. And every few weeks, his grandmother sends something up: a plate of empanadas, a bowl of soup, a pile of homemade tortillas. I think I got the better end of the deal.