Here’s to Gilbert. A scrich my friend, you will not see. Sometimes you just have to trust the energies of leaving a feather to return kindness. Winter’s storm had gift 5 inches or so of snow for the earth to drink…and a little hobbit to shovel. The temperature was only 1 degree and double digit wind chill. The drive and parking area to get my car out can take one to two hours depending on the weight and depth of the snow. I had already shoveled for three or four hours a few days before. Bundled as much as I could, and still move, I hurried outside to shovel. The warmth soon faded as did my muscles. I stared down the driveway with so much more to shovel.

A vroom sound shattered my sense of defeat. On an ATV turned snow plow wearing a skeleton full face ski mask an angel appeared. He introduced himself as Gilbert, removed his glove, shook my hand and offered to help. Off he went with another vroom and a swath of snow quickly cleared. I scampered into the house for money which he never mentioned. Like Santa’s reindeer the snow dashed away and dashed away with a vroom vroom instead of Ho Ho Ho.

Yes, he was paid. But payment does not detract from service. Payment most certainly does not detract from my gratitude. As he vroom’d off up the street I thought of all who offer service. The men and women who collect trash, sweep floors, bag groceries, file, key invoices, answer phones, serve us food, clean dishes, deliver mail, as well as medical, law enforcement, and firemen/women. So many unseen and seen who make possible our daily lives. Yes, many observations about poor “customer” service may be valid. But the emphasis is upon customer.  I am a customer….serve me. Perhaps if we focused on their act of service and even more so on gratitude, the relationships would change. I may have been a customer of Gilbert’s. I was, in reality, an almost 61 year old woman, with arthritis, osteoporosis, a very cold and tired body, who was so filled with gratitude she knew nothing of being a customer.

Here’s to Gilbert and his make shift snow plow and skeleton ski mask which never revealed his face, and his warm strong handshake. Here’s to you Gilbert who did more than clear the snow…. You thawed my heart. Thank you Gilbert. This little scrich is for you.