The Simplicity of Trust

Before I start this little tale, let me say that I don't want to hear any lectures from those of you who are wont to give them. You know who you are...

It's about 11:15 PM and I am heading back to the campground after eating dinner near the center of Rapallo. Absorbed in thought, and still smiling from my stubbed toe incident (see below for backstory), I am brought back to the here and now as a man around 30 calls out to me from a gas station. I look over, and see that he is standing next to the pump with a few of his friends waiting in the car. He asks, "do you have change for a 50?" Without hesitation, I walk toward him, pull out my wallet, and hold it out in front of me. I am impeded from pulling out the money by 2 melting scoops of gelato (peach and strawberry), so I thrust them out for him to hold. Mechanically, he grabs the gelato, I pull out two 20s and one 10 from my open wallet (from which at least 120€ jut visibly), and hand them to him. He gives me back the gelato, hands me a 50€ bill, thanks me, and walks back to his car.

Something about that transfer made my entire soul ring with laughter, joyous and hopeful, enough so that I am still thinking about it four days later. I think that more than the favor conferred, or the automatic positive response given to his request, it was the wonderfully childlike manner in which I wordlessly handed him the cone of gelato and which he wordlessly accepted it that made me so happy. And so it was that such a mundane exchange once again reminded me how fortunate I am to be alive.