Acknowledging an Act of Kindness Near Christmas

[XLFD]

I am known for focusing on acts of unethical behavior by our local officials and relaying them here on the Ludington Torch, but I frequently overlook the many acts of kindness that happen everyday around our community.  At no time was this more evident to me when my family suffered a great unexpected loss on November 6, the well-wishers on the Torch, Facebook, and the community was overwhelming.  But the goodwill is out there everywhere, as the reaction to the latest, heinous school shooting has shown, and all the people who are out in every community whose major goals seem to be to help others.  Their ranks may surprise you.

But this isn't the story of some grandiose donation, some lifesaving moment, or some outrageous sacrifice.  Just the acknowledgment of one man performing a kind act without expecting anything of it.

On Friday, I took my nine year old down to the Danaher water tower hill to do some research-- on sliding down hills.  For nearly a couple hours, we enjoyed the hill along with another couple of kids.  But we broke due to impending darkness.

On our way home, we both continued on down to the carferry docks to check out the beautiful vibrant red and gray sunset we had that day and started on our way back up Dowland Street to get to our home.   The sky was a laminated red and gray cake of clouds that nightfall, but the clouds moved closer together and ruined the effect just as we got to where we could see it best.  It looked something like this but the layering was a lot more pronounced:

We walked back towards home, and she wanted to get some goodies from McDonald's Bakery, on the corner of James and Dowland Streets.  I reminded her I left my money back home so as not to lose it or get it all wet while sliding, and that it was probably going to be closed or closing anyway.  She told me that Vikki (her older sister that passed away in November) sometimes would go by McDonald's Bakery when it was about to close and see whether there was any goodies that hadn't sold during the day.  I never knew about that.

There was no deterring her from just passing the bakery, so I stood a little out of sight while she did her thing.  She went inside and after a second or two, I saw her coming back out the door empty-handed, but she then jerked her head back and went back towards the counter.  A half minute passed and she once again came outside the door, this time with a bag containing a half-dozen bakery rolls.

She related that she originally went inside and politely asked the old man at the counter whether there was any left-overs from the day.  He originally deferred, but after she thanked him and was about to leave, he called her back, looked around and gave her the sweet treats free of charge.

I presume the man was Michael McDonald, that shop's proprietor and a long retired (1994) fire chief for the LFD, retiring because his first responsiblity was to enjoy life with his family.  He would likely not know this young lady other than she was polite, know anything about her sister's fate, or know that she just was living a block away from the bakery right now, and that we already had planned a nice dinner for later.  Or that the girl would wind up sharing all but one of those six goodies with others, because the spirit of giving is strong in her.

But such is the spirit of the season, started way back over two thousand years ago by the Magi; wise kings who had the vision and wherewithal to get anyone the best gifts.  An almost irresistable spirit that continues to prosper in these so-called dark days by almost everyone, including the poor and the foolish, striving to get by in this world.  And for every acknowledged bit of charity and kindness, there are hundreds more that remain unheard of, but keep permanently stamped on the hearts of those concerned.

[masonco]

Thank you and Merry Christmas to you

[XLFD]

Merry Christmas, Masonco.

[Jane]

We used to go there in the very early morning hours when they were starting the next days baking and get the previous days leftovers, back in the early 90's. As far as I know they now stopped doing that ( I think too many people found out), so she is a blessed little girl.

I miss Del's on Washington ave for the early a.m. biscuits and gravy at 4 in the morn when he was firing up the kitchen

[XLFD]

I don't buy a lot of bakery myself, but when I do there's nothing I enjoy better than a nutty cinnamon roll from McDonald's Bakery.  I remember Del's used to make some sizable sweet rolls, but my main loyalty resided with the neighborhood bakery at James and Dowland. 

I recall getting a good price on day-olds back at McD's before I moved into Ludington and the old Belke's Bakery in Scottville when I was growing up.  Does any local bakery still do that?

[AQUAMAN]

I also remember Bach's bakery for his great goodies. Merry Christmas to all the Torchers today, hope it's a good one for all.