We were at Crumbs, a cupcake shop in Los Angeles,not the shop Oprah talked about that would be Sprinkles. We were going to go to Sprinkles but there was a line that was out their door and down the sidewalk due to the power of Oprah....and good cupcakes! We went a few blocks down the same street to Crumbs, shorter line, large variety of cupcakes. They make their own version of the chocolate Hostess Cupcake, the one with the white scrolly icing across the top. I didn't need to look any further, my deicison was made. As I was paying for my cupcake (much larger than the hostess one I might add) I asked the young lady who was waiting on me if she wanted to hear a silly, quick story. She said sure so I proceeded with my story......
" When our kids were very young, we would sometimes get Hostess cupcakes as a special treat. One of my kids, while they were still toddler age, pointed to the white cursive looking icing and asked me what it said. I answered, it says "I Love You". From that moment on we have referred to hostess cupcakes as I love you cupcakes. I continued to tell her that my kids are grown with kids of their own, but guess what they still call these cupcakes......Yup. At some point when they each learned to read I guess they figuered out mom had lied to them, or maybe they just thought it had been changed by Hostess, at any rate to our family they will forever be, I love you cupcakes."
As I had finished paying and telling my story I looked up at the young lady, her eyes had become filled with tears. Her response was, that is so sweet. Somehow this little short story had touched something in her heart. I'll never see her again, I don't even remember her name but I do remember and I hope she remembers that there was a moment of our lives shared that somehow meant something.
Sharing my silly story with that young lady reminded me that there are times to take a moment with the clerk, or the waitress or waiter or whoever we come in contact with and share life. I had the luxury of a couple of minutes this time, but often it's just a few seconds. This reminded me to have a purpose in taking peoples' time. A word, a short story, a kind gesture, a smile could change someones day or week or perhaps even a life.
So Milo, my 2-1/2 year old grandson was over not long ago and out of the cookie jar chose a hostess cupcake as a treat. I unwrapped it and handed it to him. He pointed at the white icing and asked, "whats that says Mimi".............And guess what I answered!