Edition #18: The People in the Background
Plus, the reason kid jokes aren't funny, why you shouldn't leave town, and the signs in quarantine
A note from the editor
There's a man in my office named Garry, and before we started working from home, he spent his days pushing a cart around the maze that is the World Trade Center, delivering packages and mail to an endless stream of employees. Garry was one of the first people I met at work because he introduced himself to me before I'd even met some of my own teammates. I was new and as such, feeling nervous and a little self-conscious about my lack of friends, but I could always count on Garry for a smile and a friendly hello as he pushed past my desk. He quickly became one of my favorite people in the office, and still is a year later.
It didn't take long to discover that I wasn't the only one who felt this way. On Garry's birthday, a big group of people chipped in to get him a gift card and a cake, and there were more people at that birthday celebration than I'd seen at our monthly office happy hours. Garry was surprised, so much so that he got teary-eyed as he was presented the gift. He thanked us, saying that we were the reason his job was so enjoyable, and I hoped Garry could see that he made all of our jobs that much more enjoyable, too.
I've been thinking about Garry a lot, and about other people like him I've encountered over the years. There was Henry, the receptionist at the corporate office of the first company I ever worked for, whose cheery conversations kept me calm during an intense four-round interview process. There was Bob, the doorman at my first apartment in NYC, who gave me his mother's recipe for a natural remedy when I came down with a nasty bronchial infection, and who followed up to make sure I was OK a week later.
While each of these men was different from one another, they had a common thread: kindness. They cared about me when they had no real reason to, and I have no doubt they cared about the other people they encountered throughout their days, too. When I read this piece yesterday, I thought of Garry and Henry and Bob, and all of the other people who float around in the background of our lives, but who hold a special place in our hearts because of the way they treated us. For my part, I'd like to be more like the Garry's of the world, making the people I meet feel cared for with the simple gift of kindness.
Cheers my dears. I’d love to hear about the Garry’s in your life. Were they always from work? What were they like? And did you ever get the chance to tell them how much they brightened your day?
Three Pieces of Content Worth Consuming
The Reason Kids Jokes Aren't Actually Funny. "Knock knock. Who's there? Do you want me to wash your house? No, thank you. Okay," is a joke written by a real live kid. and if you have little ones in your life, you've heard many others like it before. I laughed out loud at this article, explaining why kids jokes tend to miss the mark. Like babies learning words before sentences, kids learn the rhythm and format of jokes before they actually comprehend humor, resulting in punchlines so bizarre that they can often end up being hilarious.
The View From (Many Different) Quarantines. For most of us, the extent of adventure we'll experience for foreseeable future extends to daily walks, during which we do our best to stay far away from other pedestrians while pretending to be surrounded by nature. While there are plenty of virtual escape resources floating around these days, I found this one most pleasing. Who needs a National Park tour when you can check out the views from other people's quarantines around the world? I'm eyeing you, Alaska.
No, You Shouldn't Leave Town Right Now. If you're currently in a COVID-19 hot spot like NYC, there's been a lot of talk about whether to stay or put or to flee. Just last weekend, my boyfriend and I looked up cabins in the Catskills, trying to decide whether to make the move so many others were making. But these small towns don't want you there, and for good reason-- their hospitals are tiny, they're trying to prioritize care for their own residents and they're ill-equipped to handle a mass breakout that a more dense population will inevitably speed up, so think twice before you decide to treat a rural town like your coronavirus escape plan.
Perhaps You Should...
Buy Yourself a Lovely Little Gift
Listen. I'm all about resisting our consumer-driven "must buy something to feel better" urges, but you've made it through another week without seeing your loved ones and you deserve a treat. It doesn't need to be anything extravagant, but it shouldn't be purely practical, either. For example, I need an electric toothbrush, but instead, I'm considering this gorgeous tea set or this clever print protesting the gender pay gap.
**Bonus Content** (To Make You Say “That’s SO Me!”)
If you don't already follow @BennyDrama on Instagram, you're welcome in advance. He's a wildly talented comedian who does some of the funniest character sketches I've ever seen, and this Zodiac Signs in Quarantine video is hilarious, well-executed and just the kind of premium content we all need right now.
A Quote From a Book You Should Read:
"How easy it is to get tangled up in your own fishing net."
-Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
This newsletter is best served with a side of conversation, so drop your opinions, reflections, and thoughts in the comments below and let’s get to talking.
Or, share the most thought-provoking piece from today’s edition with someone you love, then call them up to discuss, debate, and percolate. As a wise woman once said, “Great minds discuss ideas.”