Sometimes, small acts of kindness are overwhelmed by a world in need. Christine Schoefer has this Perspective.
My brother Mark is an excellent cook. He’s always trying out new recipes and sometimes he runs them by me. What do you think of pan-seared steak with cognac drizzle? Blackened salmon? Oven roasted Brussel sprouts with fish sauce or sweet and sour red cabbage? His meals require planning, long ingredient lists, focused shopping. Then there’s the stove and oven work to develop a symphony of flavors. No one goes hungry. Leftovers are a happy fact of life.
Mark is also a passionate eater who seeks out other people’s cooking in restaurants and food trucks. On this day, he ordered Wonton soup and Mongolian Beef – but it was all too much. He asked for a to-go container, a fresh set of chopsticks and an extra cookie and then drove to a particular corner on San Pablo Avenue.
Sure enough, the young man is there, sitting on the sidewalk next to his dog. “Hey, man. Brought you some Chinese food. No dog treats this time, but there’s a fortune cookie.”
The man opens the container, unwraps the chopsticks, and starts eating. ”Thanks, man. This is good. I’m hungry.”