Quotations and the kindness of strangers

[Doug Carpenter]

Friends here will know I take an unhealthy interest in drinking all types of wine. Two notable things happened at last night’s regular Wednesday tasting – of wines from the Loire valley.

We meet in an upstairs room in an old fashioned city pub. I usually wait till everyone has gone and then, very gingerly, make my way downstairs clinging on to the bannister and a crutch. At the bottom I normally rest before trying to navigate the crowded noisy bar. Last night, as I began to move again, right out of the blue a young man – all trendy hair and denim jacket – suddenly appeared beside me offering shoulder or arm. He supported me brilliantly past the band, through the busy rooms to the main door. I hardly had time to thank him before he disappeared back into the crowd. Amazing thoughtfulness!

A few days ago, I was touched by the many quotations ccinjersey kindly posted on Dina’s thread. Last night, very strangely, on the back label of a wine bottle I read:

At the end of the journey, we remember only one battle, the one we fought against ourselves, the original enemy. The one that defined us.

Not quite sure what to make of that.

Doug

[ccinjersey]

Hi Doug

That is such a lovely story.

Well done to that young man.

There is nothing better then the kindness of strangers. Kindness goes a long way....

My daughter and her two girlfriends were recently in a car accident. A few men driving by that witnessed it, stopped, jumped out of their cars lifted my daughter up off the ground out of antifreeze, stayed with her, held her hand keeping her alert, the other men got towels and water for her friends that were bleeding. These strangers could have just looked at the accident as so many others did and continued to by drive but they stopped, and helped when they didn't have too.

Words and quotes can be very profound, especially when they reduce a complicated situation into simple clarity that can help with a state of mind.

Hope you got to taste some great tasting wine

CCxox

[Doug Carpenter]

Wow CC!

I'm sorry to hear about your daughter and friends. I hope they're OK now.

Yes, when it comes to wine, my tastebuds are OK. My sense of smell has never been very good. But I have to live long enough to empty my cellar!

Doug x

[ccinjersey]

Thanks Doug, they are all alive and that's all that matters.

My husband a big wine collector, I don't really know it like he does, but I can distinguish the taste of cheap wine from very good wine as I think most people can, and that's as far as my knowledge goes lol

Wine, and song the best medicine very often

CC xox

[Gillette]

I had a young chap ask me if I needed help the other day when I was waiting for my partner at the tram station. We started chatting and he told me about his father using a wheelchair and also about caring for his grandma. He was a lovely young man with a lot on his plate but he still had hopes and dreams for his future.