Thursday, June 11, 2009

Nice is just nice!

Susan would say this type of thing happens to me cause I'm tall or cause I'm cute, but I'd rather like to think that sometimes, occasionally, once in a while, people are just nice.

Three teenage boys made my day today!

I'd had a photograph and this little Northern Pintail painting that I'd been carting around with me while I looked for suitable frames. Both were matted to odd sizes which would ordinarily require custom framing.

If you've ever paid for custom framing, you know that's not anything to be undertaken lightly.

I'd gone to a couple arts-and-crafts type stores but couldn't find any frames to fit, nor could I dream up a cheap solution. Tonight, almost desperate, I went to the custom framing desk at AC Moore and presented my problem and asked the young kid if he had any ideas for what I might do without spending a fortune.

His pimples and the smirk on his face as he approached left me pretty doubtful.

Before I knew what was happening, he'd amassed the rest of his team: Louis came along and began searching the aisles for the perfect color frame to complement my prints, Kevin joined us for the math and measurements to cut each mat down to fit standard-size frames, while Mike did the actual cutting and framing up.

Those boys spent better than an hour with me. All the while I kept saying, "This feels an awful lot like a custom frame job, boys!"

I'd started to worry that they'd misunderstood me. I'd started to worry what all this attention was going to cost me.

Turns out, frames are 40% off this week and my nearly *custom* framing was free, on these adorable boys who, apparently, needed something to do tonight, or needed practice, or just felt like being nice.

Imagine that.

The total cost for both was less than $25. I'm thrilled. I'm wondering at my good fortune. I'm wondering what one does to repay the kindness of strangers, especially considering the unlikely source of that kindness.

13 comments:

RG said...

OH, just do something nice for some other (otherwise) dispicable teenager(s)!

Perhaps the world is getting nicer!

(Oh 2 ... and if it was Bunny Lady, she would tell the boss!)

Ann (bunnygirl) said...

Chocolate chip cookies and a good word to their boss?

Susan Gets Native said...

And sometimes, nice just wants to get in your pants.

;)

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Laura, just pass it on.



Oh, Susan....

KGMom said...

Well, I was going to say--you just did. But then I read Susan's comment. Hmmm.

No, I think--choc chips cookies & a word to the boss.

Beth in NYC said...

Good price and they did a very nice job!

ROFL, Susan!

NCmountainwoman said...

I'm sure you already thanked them sufficiently. I agree that a letter to the owner would makes some teens smile widely.

Susan Gets Native said...

I can't help it, Lynne. You've SEEN Laura....she exudes cuteness.

bobbie said...

A word to the boss would be nice -
But I'll bet they are feeling very good about it themselves, and kind of proud. and that's a good thing.

Jayne said...

I agree... a nice word to their manager would be a good way to let him know how valuable they are to him. The framing looks wonderful!

nina at Nature Remains. said...

Brownies.
You can never go wrong with chocolate.

silverlight said...

Not just a word to their boss. But a great big congratulations to the parents for raising such good kids.
Gives one hope.

LauraHinNJ said...

Can there be a collective eye-roll at Susan for her silliness?

*big eye roll*

I filled out those little cards for *exceptional service* that one can leave with the hope that they'll get a raise or a shout-out or a raise, maybe.

Sweet kids.