10th wedding anniversary gift idea

Surprise takes mother back to memories of age 7

KINDNESS FOREVER

The Capital-Journal

Letters attesting to the kindness of others keep arriving from newspaper readers.

Those letters appear here as part of a community-wide drive to promote kindness and caring in Topeka and northeast Kansas.

Gift made happy day

A couple of years ago, I bought four bricks for the Bill Dyal family. They were placed on the walk in front of the bandstand at Garfield Park.

On May 30, my family gave me a surprise trolley ride, with all our family and friends that could go to see the bricks and the places I grew up. All of them will never know how much that meant to me.

It transported a lady in her late 70s back to the days of a girl at age 7.

Being in the Topeka High School Daisy Chain, graduating from THS, our wedding, our four wonderful children and their families, my brother and his wonderful wife and children, and our 50th anniversary were all great, but the trolley ride down memory lane is the icing on the cake.

Thanks to the sweet and patient trolley driver and all our family and friends, I will never ever forget one of the happiest days of my life.

Your very grateful Mom,

--- JoAnn Harries, Topeka

Shopper's surprise

On a rainy day, while in Topeka, my friend shopped at the Farmer's Market at S.W. 10th and Topeka. I went to Walgreens across the street to purchase some cologne.

I selected a fragrance and left it at the counter while I went to another department for another purchase. When I returned to pay for both articles, the clerk informed me that I needed to pay for only the second item.

The clerk said "a lady with a little boy" had paid for my cologne. I have no idea who would do such an act of kindness. The clerk didn't know her and she had already left the store.

I have no idea who to thank, but I hope she will read this and accept my thanks and appreciation.

--- Leona Wright, St. Marys

Friends give a lift

Not long ago, my driver's license was revoked. I won't go into why, but I hope I'll have it back in six months.

My neighbors, Shirley Day, Cathy Mastro and Jake Rogers, have been so nice to me, taking me places even when I could have taken the Topeka Transit bus.

The other night, I had to go to the emergency room after the buses were no longer running. I asked Jake for a ride there and expected to take a cab home afterward. I was at the ER for seven hours. I kept telling the nurse to tell Jake it was OK for him to leave.

His girlfriend, Angela Thompson, came after I had been there for six hours, and she and Jake told me they were leaving, but they gave me their phone number and said to call them when I was finished. It was midnight when I was done, and Jake still picked me up.

Cathy and Shirley have taken me to the grocery store and other places. Cathy took me to a bike shop when my bike had a flat tire, and to the laundromat, even during hours the buses are running. Shirley also took me to a doctor's appointment and waited for me the whole time I was there so she could take me home.

So thank you, Shirley, Cathy and Jake. You have been so nice to me, I don't know how I can ever repay you.

--- Marijo Mastroianni, Topeka

To recognize someone for an act of kindness, send your letter to Kindness Forever, Topeka Capital-Journal, 616 S.E. Jefferson, Topeka, 66607. Letters are printed as soon as space permits.