I almost cried reading the following story from today's Washington Post Metro section. Perhaps the emotion was the delayed reaction of gratification from eating my first bagel in months. Those who know of my carbs situation at home can understand how deliciously satisfying that was for me. But, alas! I nearly was one of those girls who can't finish a bagel by herself. Still, I pressed on because I am a real man. Kudos to me!

A Teacher's Gift Begets Another, and Another

I teach the sixth grade in Fairfax County at a school where buying school supplies is a struggle for many parents. I look for the discounts that stores offer on various school supplies around this time of the year. Glue sticks are on the supply list. On Tuesday, the Office Depot at the Beacon Hill mall in Alexandria had a "bonus pack" of four glue sticks for 25 cents. I took 16 packs up to the counter.

The clerk told me that unfortunately the limit was five packs. I explained that I was a schoolteacher and asked if she would please make an exception. The first act of kindness was that she did. In the meantime, a man who had overheard the conversation opened his wallet and said he would like to buy four more for me. I said no thanks, but he insisted. I now have 20 packs of glue sticks for my students to use this school year. True random acts of kindness.

-- Paul Adams, Alexandria