“It will come back to me someday”

This evening I walked down Castro Street and stopped in front of Cliff’s Variety. A string quartet of young musicians had set up there and were vigorously making their way through the Allegro movement of “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.” Others gathered, too. A small boy delightedly mimicked the bowing motion of the violinist. People smiled and fumbled in their wallets to find a dollar to deposit in the open cello case.

Then a young man walked up and parked his shopping cart in the center of the crowd. Visible on top of the cart were two old quilts, neatly folded. Was he thinking that he might have to wait a while before his spot for the night in the recessed doorway opened up? He smiled widely and enjoyed the music. Soon he pulled out a dollar bill and dropped it in the case. Upon returning to his cart he grinned at someone in the crowd and said quietly, “It will come back to me someday!”

I pulled out my own dollar and thought how clever it might be if I gave it to him and said, “It just did.” But the music ended, I left my dollar in the case and resumed my walk down Castro. I wanted to reward the man who had little for his generosity, but in that moment it seemed better to allow him to feel good about his own contribution. I do hope it comes back to him soon.

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