The Goodness of Gestures.

In the aftermath of my should-have-killed-me accident, I was well…depressed.

Who wouldn’t be? I was rear-ended on my bicycle by a sedan traveling at 50 MPH! It was an Uber sucker punch. 

For months I resided in a belly button to neck brace. Every part of me was sore, scarred or scabbed. Even my toenails ached. Worst of all, was the big questions. How well will I heal? Will I get my active life back or will I become the world’s first full-time nonfiction book reader? These questions and mountains of angst kept me up at night. I was in a bad state of mind.

One day, Rosie emailed me. Her message was short and sweet. (Like her) “Jeff, I made something for you. I hope it cheers you up. It’s in the mail. Keep getting better!” Of course, I thanked her beforehand. 

Eventually I reluctantly returned  to Tucson for another winter of discontent. After a session of physical therapy, I found a cardboard box at my door. I brought it inside and opened it. It was a Ride The Rockies Team Bar2Bar themed quilt! The panels were the tank tops of twenty years of my “drinkers with a bicycle riding problem” team. I sashayed backward after spreading  it out on the floor. I alternated between laughing and crying. 

I called Rosie immediately. “Rosie! This is the best gift I have ever received. Thank you so much!” I meant every word and then some.

 It took almost a year but I did heal! I spent my final winter of discontent in Tucson getting rid of stuff. I had made the decision to go “Homeless by Choice.” If it didn’t fit into Barley the Van, it was gone. I was pretty draconian on this. There were two materialistic sentimental items that made the cut.

A) Fido the porcelain pug who was gifted to me by a long lost friend. A woman who was capable of making me laugh like no other. 

B) Rosie’s Team Bar2Bar quilt. It fit nicely on my almost Queen-sized Barley the Van bed.

Both Fido and Rosie’s quilt survived those 6.5 years of my rootless existence. However, like me they aged. All four of Fido’s stubby legs have been Superglued back onto his frame. The Team Bar2Bar quilt was faded and frayed. There was no way either was going into a dumpster.

When Covid (SPIT!) struck I phoned Rosie. 

After commiserating about the misery of Covid, I got to the point. “I’d like to commission you for a second quilt. The Bar2Bar one is looking rough, but I can’t pitch it. Would you like a “stay in place” project? This time I’ll pay for your creation.” 

“Sure! I have to finish a baby quilt first, then I’ll get on it.” 

I desired a larger quilt with a National Park theme for my Durango home. She pointed me to an  Amazon site for the panels, and away we went. A little over a year later, (It took Michelangelo four years to paint the Sistine Chapel. Artistic genius takes time)  I met Rosie in May, 2021 at a post-Rockies game pub. I wandered in with a few friends as well. Rosie had already draped the quilt over a railing for all to see. I stopped to take the wonder in.. “Rosie! It’s beautiful!! You outdid yourself on this one.” Once again I meant it. Then I gave her a big squeeze hug.

And yes, I did send her a check in which she responded. “Jeff! It’s too much!” 

My reply? “Not at all, you have no idea on how much that Team Bar2Bar quilt meant to me. This is my simple way of paying you back.” 

Here’s my point. Rosie performed a gesture of goodness. She didn’t have to play Good Samaritan but she did. Here was a potential mitzvah (good deed) moment and she seized it.

There are life lessons here and I can be trained.

So now that I’m settled down in a tight community where everyone knows everybody,  but me,

I’m trying my hand at gestures of goodness. 

When a neighbor had a Buddha purloined from the front of her townhome, I instigated a local fundraiser to replace it. Marcia is still enthused about her new jolly Buddha. 

https://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2021/02/what-would-buddha-do.html

At a block party, I picked up an extra case of IPA to barter for Durango Food Bank donations. We netted $53 for a worthy cause.

If I hear a friend/neighbor is sick, injured or just feeling down, I’ll drop off a meal’s worth of Minnesota Soup or Sambini’s Famous Kosher Green Chili. 

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2020/01/

Will any of these deeds end poverty, bring about World Peace or curtail Climate Change? Of course not. BUT maybe someone else will notice. Then we can start a movement! I have a name picked out already.

“The Rosie Make a Quilt Good Gesture Foundation.” I nominate Rosie for CEO. 

Please consider becoming a member. 

Thanks!

Jeff