Mike Lyons: Out-of-towners heartened by kindnesses shown

Published 1:30 am Saturday, November 6, 2021

By Mike Lyons / Herald Forum

This past September my wife, Susan, and I landed at Paine Field after 10 p.m.

It was cool but not raining. In 20 minutes our cab would be there to take us to our hotel. That’s when we met Gina who was waiting for her son Joel to pick her up. She shared her enjoyable stories of New York, travel and airports with us and it was like talking to an old friend we hadn’t seen for awhile. Time past quickly. Too quickly.

It was now after 11 and no cab. Joel arrived to get his mom with a car big enough to carry their luggage and maybe an apple. As Joel put the last bag in the trunk I think Gina sensed it was “last call” for us and asked us if we could use a ride. I told her I’d called the cab but got no reply and since it was getting late replied, “yes.” We told them our hotel was off 128th Street and to our surprise their response was “we live out by Silver Lake so that’s on the way; no problem.” Joel, the magician, rearranged luggage and managed to get it all in the car.

We were at the hotel in minutes and offered them some money to show our appreciation for their kindness. Gina had a simple but profound reply. She said “No, this is not about money; this is about people being nice to people.”

We felt humbled. This is what the world needs more of and needs to hear about more often. We were touched. Once in our room I noticed that my money clip, a gift from Susan years earlier, was not in my pocket. I went out and checked the lobby and out front of the office but it wasn’t there I alerted the office that I was missing my money clip.

Two nights later we called the front desk to get some things for our room and the gentleman came to the room also carrying a plastic bag. He asked me what I would have had on the clip and as I told him he reached in the bag and took out my clip. My heart skipped a beat and after getting my breath back I thanked him.

In the morning as we were walking out to start our day I stopped by to thank the front desk for finding and keeping my money clip. One lady spoke up and said that our Uber driver dropped it off that morning, which would have been Joel going to work.

“Thanks” doesn’t begin to say what’s in Susan’s and my heart today. We realized that Gina and Joel did something very special for us which helped make our trip to Everett a memorable one. They helped to restore our faith in humanity, one good deed at a time.

Yes, it’s about people being nice to people. Pass it on.

Mike and Susan Lyons live in Milford, Ohio.