The Nice Thing About Strangers
Creative Non-Fiction Short Stories. :) Travel, Oldsters, Love, and Compassion.
Give It Away
They arrive in a giant collection truck with the charity name printed on the side. When the man throws open the back door, it is already half-full of bags of donated clothing. They are here to clear out the donation drop by the gas station–a man in an American flag bandana, a woman in a puffy purple coat, and a boy in a green jacket and stocking cap.
The boy hops as the man swings a sack back and forth, gaining momentum, then releasing the sack at just the moment to send it all the way to the rear of the pile. He throws for distance and the boy delights in the game.
The woman tries a sort of discus throw. Her sack of goods falls practically in front of her on the truck, just about a foot away, and the boy boos. She offers him a chance, the tiny boy with a tiny grocery bag, and he tosses the sack straight up in the air. It nearly falls on his head. He laughs, he tumbles around the man and woman, he cheers in their swift duties.
“Come on, Dad!” The father puffs up his chest to show them how its done–swinging the sack to height, letting go, the bag of donated clothing catapulted into the deep of the plastic pile. The boy takes his father’s hand after they close the doors, as he moves on to the next stop with his hero.
–Nebraska.
Night over Nebraska
The Nice Thing About Strangers 
A captured Nebrska moment. Lovely. Renee
I do love Nebraska! 🙂
love this
Thank you! 🙂
Delightful!
I’m about to re-enact this story myself. I have several bags ready for Goodwill.
I have a set of Goodwill wares as well. I don’t think I’ll chuck them into the store this way, though. 🙂
I can see them.
Just had the Salvation Army pass by to collect a huge bag of clothes. I have more space in the wardrobe and the Salvation Army will make some much needed cash to help the homeless – a win-win situation 🙂 Beautiful photo x
Agreed! There are so many ways to pass on good things.
The photo was a happy accident at sunset. Most of my pics are that way! 😀
Yeah I am a big fan of giving away my old unwanted clothes…………..
Sometimes I find rather new items that I purchased in a mood of “trying something new,” that can also move on to a happier home. 🙂