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Welcome to Get Sleepy.
Where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy.
As always, I'm your host, Thomas.
Tonight, we'll follow a group of kind strangers on a glorious early autumn day.
One by one, each will make a small gesture that will change another person's day for the better.
This heartwarming story was a request from one of our listeners, and I hope you enjoy it.
Thank you to Alicia Stefan for writing it and I'm delighted to be the one narrating it for you.
Now, my friends, let's prepare for a good night's rest by enjoying a little wind-down time.
Ensure that you're nice and comfortable in bed and close your eyes whenever you're ready, Draw in a deep, full breath and slowly let it out.
Again, breathe in, and gently out.
As you ease into relaxation and stillness.
I'd like you to consider the power of kindness and helpful actions.
Good deeds, as it were.
You'll get a greater feel for this as you listen along to our story tonight.
But every time we offer kindness and warmth to a fellow person, it can, and often will have a domino effect.
Every day, we can set an example.
We can be a positive influence on those we come into contact with.
And we never know just how far and wide that will spread.
We've all been there, where you're having a bit of a bad day.
Things seem to be stacked against you, and it might have put you in a bit of a low mood.
But a simple smile from a stranger, somebody letting you out of a junction as you're driving, or a sweet and reassuring message from a friend or loved one can sometimes be all it takes to turn your mood around and restore your faith in humanity.
And the more of that kindness you spread yourself, the more of it that will filter through the world and will likely come back around to you.
I believe that we are all full of inherent kindness.
Sometimes the world can feel a bit gloomy and negative.
But for the most part, we all want to create helpful, supportive communities.
And we can each have our own little pockets of influence on that, every single day.
So now, as you inhale and exhale even more deeply, Imagine yourself in a quiet suburb or small town.
The traffic is minimal, the people are friendly and, perhaps the best part of all autumn is about to arrive.
In this place, a series of heartwarming events are about to commence.
And this is where our story begins.
It was that magical day that came each year in September, when the city seemed to step from summer into autumn.
The woman who lived in apartment 3A of the building at 14 Maple Street opened her window partway.
She paused, inhaling the crisp air that drifted into her cozy apartment.
The leaves on the trees had only just started to turn a little bit, and they waved cheerfully in the light breeze outside.
The sun sparkled gently through the leafy canopy, as if to tell every dweller in the building to come outside and revel in the day.
The woman at the window closed her eyes.
Her ecstatic smile revealed tiny laugh lines on her face as she turned it to the sun.
Then, leaning back inside, she picked up a fragrant cup of tea that stood on a desk nearby and sipped it, letting the steam warm the tip of her nose.
Through the crack in the window, she heard the sound of a bicycle flying by on the street below.
A dog barked.
Someone laughed.
From a floor down below in her building, classical music floated out of one of the windows.
It was both an indoor and an outdoor type of day, the woman thought to herself with delight.
The very best kind.
Finishing her tea, she set down her empty mug by the sink.
Then, she stood for a moment, regarding herself in the mirror that was framed in her coat rack.
Smiling at her reflection.
She put her long hair back into a hasty braid, wrapping a soft scarf around her neck.
Then she reached out to a nearby hook and chose a long soft sweater that she had owned for at least twenty years.
It had a small hole inside the right sleeve that only she would ever have noticed.
She loved this sweater and was looking forward to wearing it for the first time since she'd put it away on the last day of the chilly spring weather months ago.
Taking her slouchy handbag and slipping into her comfortable low-heeled shoes, she left her apartment and locked the door.
It always made her feel so secure to close up her beloved apartment with its gold lettering that said 3A and think I will see you later.
She turned and began descending the stairs.
When she reached the second floor, she encountered a young woman who had just locked up apartment 2A.
They both laughed, nearly running into each other, as the 2A neighbor was carrying a box so large and awkward that she couldn't see very well.
The woman from 3A expressed sympathy, picking up one end of the big box.
This allowed her neighbor a much better view of where her feet were going on the stairs.
The woman from 2A thanked her upstairs neighbor gratefully and together they got the box down to the ground level.
Once there, it was easy enough for the neighbor from 2A to push her box into the trunk of her car, which was parked on the curb.
She waved at the woman from the third floor and watched her walk away down the street with her cozy sweater and scarf.
She looked for all the world, like she was off on an adventure.
Climbing into her car, the woman from 2A was already feeling good about the world.
Having a neighbor who was so friendly and helpful had made this gorgeous autumn day even brighter.
As she pulled away from the curb and navigated to the post office with her box, she took extra care to drive, politely waving her thanks at people who let her change lanes.
As always, she made sure that pedestrians felt safe crossing in front of her.
It was such a beautiful afternoon that she didn't even want to listen to music.
Instead, she lowered her window just enough to let the cool air inside.
There was something soothing about driving in a warm, sunny car with just a sliver of brisk autumn weather making its way into the front seat.
And at each traffic light.
While she was waiting, she basked in that particular smell of advancing autumn.
When the leaves become drier and the scent of green gives way to that of yellow and orange.
It was one of her favorite times of the year.
When she reached the post office, she wrestled the box out of the trunk and closed the lid with her elbow.
The car made a clunking noise that assured her it was shut.
She then awkwardly pushed her way inside through the swinging glass door to the lobby.
The woman with the box was second in line to be helped, so she rested her package on a nearby counter while she waited for her turn.
As she stood there, a silver-haired man came in with a single letter that he wanted to post.
He smiled at her and nodded a polite greeting.
Seeing his envelope, she felt a pang of guilt.
Her transaction was going to be more complicated than his, and she anticipated that it wouldn't be quick.
Without even hesitating, she urged him to go in front of her.
The man initially declined, saying she had been there first and that it was really no trouble to wait.
But the woman with the box insisted, feeling that she really did want him to go first and telling him so.
The man's expression changed.
He smiled broadly at her kindness.
When the person at the counter called out next, he gratefully stepped around her and purchased his single stamp.
In just moments, he was on his way.
As he walked off, the woman from 2A stepped up and the person behind the counter began helping her to mail her box.
The man's hands were free now that he had sent his envelope off.
The letter was a bit of business that had been languishing on his desk for many days.
But, as it needed a special stamp, he had procrastinated.
Now the letter was flying towards its destination, he felt enormously satisfied.
Mentally, he ticked off the item from his to-do list and thought that he should treat himself to a lovely hot beverage.
Perhaps he would even get something with pumpkin spice in it, he pondered.
As he approached his favorite coffee shop, a leaf blew across his path.
He noticed it, as it was one of the first to fall.
He was really looking forward to the foliage in a few weeks' time.
He blew on his hands, which were actually slightly cold.
Reaching the door of the shop, he pulled it open, enjoying the delicate ringing of the bell that announced his arrival.
Then, the man stepped into the fragrant, cozy interior of the shop.
Before approaching the coffee bar, he looked around the room appreciatively.
This local spot had been like a home away from home to him for many years.
Furnished with charmingly imperfect, mismatched furniture.
It was full of lovely little nooks and crannies where a person could sit in a soft chair and read a book or poke away at their laptop.
One low table held a puzzle that was in a constant march towards completion, with some patrons working on it regularly and others just contributing one piece.
For those who liked to watch the world go by, small tables sat in front of the windows looking out onto the street.
The man briefly pondered his order and then stepped up to the counter.
He was greeted with familiarity by a woman with a faded apron.
She asked him if he was going to have the usual.
Winking at her dramatically, he said he was going to go rogue.
He ordered one of the special autumn drinks.
She responded approvingly and stepped away to start making his order.
Gazing out the window, he saw a young man sitting on a bench.
Next to him, politely watching people go by, was a beautiful, fluffy, grey and black dog.
Turning to the woman behind the counter, the man asked her if they had any of the free dog treats that day.
You know, he said, those little frozen desserts you call pup cups.
The woman looked surprised and jokingly asked if he had his invisible dog with him.
He laughed and said no, but he had spotted a friend outside who would certainly enjoy it.
The woman leaned over the counter and looked outside the window.
Her face broke into a grin Yes, I know that good girl, she said warmly.
She does occasionally get a pup cup when her owner comes inside.
Reaching down into the fridge, she pulled one out and pushed it across the counter to the man.
He paid for his drink, dropping a generous amount into the tip cup by the till, and thanked her.
He set down his cup on an out-of-the-way side table, with a huge velvety armchair next to it.
But before he sank into the chair, he wanted to deliver his treat to the dog outside.
Pushing the ringing door open again, he approached the man on the bench, stopping at a polite distance.
Excuse me, he said.
I was wondering if I could offer you a pup cup for your faithful companion.
The young man grinned ear to ear and nodded gladly, accepting the treat from the stranger.
While he watched the dog enjoying its snack, the man from the coffee shop asked, Is she a husky?
The younger man shook his head, saying, No, but a lot of people ask that.
She's a Norwegian Elkhound, and her name is Freya.
After giving Freya a pat, the older man excused himself, saying he had a hot drink waiting inside.
The fellow with the dog nodded, thanking him again, and told him to have a wonderful afternoon.
Then he watched as the thoughtful gentleman with the pup cup disappeared behind the glass door of the coffee shop, a small bell ringing as he went in.
The man on the bench stretched his arms and asked Freya if she was ready to finish their walk.
The dog wagged her tail eagerly, and the two of them stood up.
As they set off down the street, the man observed all the festive window displays in the shops.
People were ready for fall, and it showed.
Apples, cinnamon, and pumpkin were popular themes.
All the summery colors were transitioning to warm autumnal tones.
Breezy clothing on mannequins had been swapped for chunky knit sweaters and soft outerwear.
Turning his attention ahead of them, the man saw Freya sniffing at a small fluffy object in the middle of the pavement.
He stepped forward and picked it up.
It was an adorable hat with bear ears on it.
Looking down the street, he saw a woman pushing a stroller.
As he watched, a small hand waved out the side of the contraption, tossing a toy haphazardly behind it.
The man chuckled and jogged forward, calling out to the woman.
She stopped and turned to face him.
She was wearing a warm sweatshirt, and her long hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail.
Looking at him with slight confusion, she asked if he was talking to her.
Somewhat breathlessly, he held out the little hat and then pointed to the toy which lay nearby.
A small giggle came from inside the pushchair, indicating that the child inside found themselves delightfully funny.
The woman clapped her hand to the side of her head and gratefully took the hat as the man leaned over and grabbed the toy for her too.
Then she laughed and waved goodbye to the man and his faithful, ever-so-helpful elk hound, Freya.
Pushing the stroller forwards once again, the woman leaned down and stuffed the hat and the toy in the back pocket of her pushchair.
She was feeling sleepy.
Her little one had been shaking up their schedule lately, and night and day had been somewhat turned upside down.
Getting outside in the sunshine and invigorating autumn air had been just the ticket that day.
Now, having run into this kind man and his beautiful dog, she felt good about the world and her mood had been lifted.
Her toddler babbled cheerfully, occasionally sticking out a chubby hand to wave at passers-by.
The adults walking past responded with laughs and waves of their own, happy to greet the sweet little person in the stroller.
The woman slipped into a bit of a reverie as she walked one foot in front of the other with the pushchair going bump bump, bump over the paving stones at regular intervals.
But the woman was lifted from her reflections when she saw a uniformed person checking meters and writing tickets.
A block away.
As the lady pushed the stroller onward, she realized that the car parked ahead of her was out of time.
The parking meter was flashing.
The woman with the stroller paused, surveying the car.
It was well-loved, clearly having traveled many miles.
On its bumper there was a sticker that said I break for quilting bees, and another logo advertised an animal rescue.
The woman paused and considered the approaching meter reader with trepidation.
Then impulsively, she reached into the pocket of her sweatshirt and pulled out a couple of quarters that had been sitting in there, since she'd been given change for a coffee the previous week.
Stepping up to the meter, she dropped in two quarters.
The meter lit up with an additional hour of time.
Smiling to herself like she had a secret, the woman pushed the stroller onward.
As she passed the parking warden, the child gurgled and waved.
The warden laughed and waved back, walking straight past the spot where the car with the bumper stickers was parked.
The woman with the ponytail leaned around to the child in the stroller, who babbled at her happily.
Then, she smiled and put her finger to her lips, as if to indicate that they both had a secret.
The child giggled with amusement, and the lady stood up again, slowly pushing the pram towards home.
Zipping her sweatshirt up against the cold, she savored the chill in the air.
She was thinking that once she got inside, she might make herself a lovely cup of tea with honey.
Meanwhile, a somewhat older woman bustled towards the parked car with the bumper stickers.
She had a yoga mat on a strap slung over her shoulder and she was wrapped in a long, well-worn jumper.
The woman was humming to herself a bit nervously.
But when she arrived at the car, she looked at the meter in surprise.
Standing still, she peered at a watch on her wrist.
Then, she looked back at the meter.
Finally, she gazed around to her right and left, somewhat surreptitiously.
Putting her hands on her hips, she quietly said, Her.
Then, in a tone that indicated she was accepting a gift of good fortune, she unlocked her car and got in.
As she did, she awkwardly pushed the yoga mat into her crowded back seat.
While she was pulling out of her spot, she saw someone line up behind her to park in the space she had vacated.
She grinned at the thought that this unsuspecting person would discover some free time on the meter to set them off on their right foot with their errands.
Coasting gently down the street.
The woman bobbed her head right and left in rhythm with the music that emanated from her car stereo.
At some traffic lights, she lowered her windows, deeply breathing in the fresh air from outside.
Leaning her head slightly out the window, she gazed upwards towards the sun.
It was getting to be the golden hour of late afternoon.
Even the trees that were still covered with green leaves seemed to bathe in that cool warmth that was unique to September.
Autumn was incoming, and summer was offering its last farewell.
Feeling unexplained happiness bubble up inside her.
She returned her attention to the traffic light pulling ahead when it turned green once more.
She didn't have far to go before she reached another light.
This time, she looked directly to her left, where a man was getting into a parked car.
He'd already buckled himself in and was patiently waiting for a chance to pull out into the traffic.
However, the woman noticed he had a problem, of which he seemed unaware.
He had left his takeaway food in a bag on top of his car.
The woman's window was already down, but his was not.
Catching his eye, she mimed the action of rolling down a window.
This looked quite comical to him.
Although he was old enough to remember when windows were operated by hand crank, he hadn't seen one in well decades.
He smiled questioningly and pressed the button that would lower his passenger side window.
Without saying anything, he cocked his head to the side, waiting to find out what this strange woman wanted to say.
Your bag is still on top of the car, she said in a stage whisper, as if she didn't want to embarrass him.
But her music was too loud and he put a hand to his ear, indicating that she would have to say it again.
Turning down the music, she said more loudly this time, Your bag is still on top of your car.
The man instantly understood.
He clapped his hand to his forehead as his gaze went to the passenger seat, confirming there was no bag inside the car.
He laughed and waved at the woman.
They didn't have time to say anything else.
The light changed, she turned her music back up, and she was gone.
The man unbuckled his seatbelt and pulled himself out of the driver's side.
Sure enough, atop the car was the large paper bag that contained the meal he had picked up for dinner.
Shaking his head at his own absent-mindedness.
He pulled the bag down and placed it carefully inside the car, buckling it into the passenger side seat like a companion.
He then patted it contentedly.
It was his favorite food and he was so grateful that the kind woman had gone to the trouble to help him save it from falling onto the pavement.
Feeling slightly foolish but also appreciative.
The man waited for the way to be clear and then pulled out onto the road.
He didn't turn on any music.
Instead, he hummed to himself practicing his part for the choir concert that he was singing in the next day.
As he traveled homeward, he observed the people in his town with their own briefcases and shopping bags.
He imagined they were leaving offices and classrooms and preparing for the evening.
A man walking next to him on the sidewalk was carrying some plastic-covered dry cleaning over his shoulder.
A small gust of chilly wind blew past him, causing the plastic bags to float slightly upwards in the wind.
And then they settled again.
With a small thrill.
The man in the car thought of the incoming autumn season and all the cozy times it would bring.
Just as the sun seemed ready to give way to twilight, the driver arrived in front of his apartment building and parked his car.
He carefully opened his driver's side door, got out and closed it and then went around to the passenger side.
Once there, he fetched the warm paper bag holding his dinner.
As he locked the car, he cradled the bag in his arm, appreciating its warmth.
It was getting rather brisk outside, he thought.
Humming to himself again, he entered the front of his apartment building.
He stopped at the gold-colored mailboxes and produced his key.
Opening his mailbox, he saw there were two envelopes inside.
One contained an early birthday card for him.
He recognized the handwriting.
The other was a letter, but he didn't recognize the return address or the handwriting at all.
Puzzled.
He looked more carefully and realized that it was addressed to the woman in 3A.
The postal person had placed it in his box by mistake.
It wasn't unusual for residents to place errant mail atop the mailboxes, where their proper owners would eventually find them.
But this letter looked personal, as if it had been addressed with care.
He decided that he would take it directly to the woman in 3A.
After all, it would require him to climb two flights of stairs, he thought, and that was great exercise.
Trudging upwards in the stairwell, he noticed the rhythmic echo that his feet made on the steps.
Thinking about his choir music, he tried to keep the steps in time, like a metronome.
Once he had reached the landing on the third floor, he was a bit out of breath, but he was also smiling at himself.
He gently knocked on the door of 3A and waited patiently.
He guessed that his neighbor would probably want to look through the peephole and see who was outside.
But the door soon opened and the lovely woman in 3A with the fabulous smile was standing there to greet him.
Hello, neighbor, she said, as if she wasn't at all surprised he'd knocked on her door.
In answer, he held up her post and said, Hi, I got your letter in my box by accident.
He could tell by the look on her face that she was touched by his gesture.
She thanked him graciously for going out of his way to bring it to her.
Clasping the letter to her chest, she added, I've been waiting for this.
You made my night.
Stepping back, the man nodded, as if taking a small bow after a performance.
Then, he waved and made his way back down the stairs as the woman in 3A gently closed her door.
She could hear the steps of her thoughtful neighbor as he descended again.
Then she sat down in her comfortable armchair, neatly opened the envelope and read her letter twice.
It was such a delight to receive written mail these days, and its arrival was the perfect end to a beautiful autumn day.
The woman enjoyed a quiet evening after that.
She made herself a light dinner and then got into her softest pajamas and her favorite robe.
Sitting once again at the window, she opened it just a bit and inhaled the night air.
It was going to be the coldest night they'd had in many months, she reflected.
She could almost feel the delightful chilly twinge on her nose.
And there was always that leafy, smoky smell that came with autumn evenings, too.
She truly loved it.
Not long after, she nestled into the soft embrace of her bed.
The sheets were crisp and smooth, and her quilt was so warm.
She had left the window open just a tiny crack so she could enjoy the cool night air.
And as her thoughts drifted, she pondered what small surprise she might conjure up to thank the man from apartment 1B who had brought her letter to her.
Perhaps she could take him an autumnal plant for his windowsill, she mused.
Or maybe she could bake him a lovely pumpkin bread.
Before she knew it, she had slipped into a world of dreams where every person in town was planning to do a little something nice for their neighbor the very next day.
Thanks for watching!
I'm not going to lie.
I'm not going to lie.
I'm not going to lie.
Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you.
