Tagebuch: October 2007

Dear Diary,

Walking along the Graben, I was mentally counting the coins in my wallet and wondering whether there was enough money for me to take a cab and avoid the U-bahn after a long day, when I almost bumped into a shabbily-dressed woman who suddenly handed me four beautiful, yellow roses.

I took them, a little lost as to what was going on.

"That’s three Euros," she announced. I felt too embarrassed to return the flowers and started searching for my wallet in the huge school bag I was carrying.

I found the money and paid the woman, by now upset that I would no longer be able to take the cab and get home so quickly. Discouraged, I headed for the U-Bahn.

I was just approaching the entrance, when an old Viennese lady stopped me, asking in German, where I hand gotten those beautiful roses.

I thought for a moment,  trying to sort out how to answer her as I am still struggling with the language. Unable to find enough words, I just handed her the flowers saying: "Geschenk für Sie!"

She smiled and thanked me; we said good-bye and moved on.

I felt suddenly light-hearted. Somehow, the frustration caused by the unnecessary purchase was gone. I knew I had made someone’s day, for which it was well worth taking the U-bahn.