This week I was inspired by a college mate of mine who wrote a tale of how recounting acts of kindness can be healthier, and less stressful, than dwelling on negative memories. I thought that this was a good thing to post, so I would like to share a story as well. Here’s to you, Jeff…

It was the winter of 1993, January to be precise, and I was in Mobile, Alabama with my parents, who were attending a business seminar. I always loved these weekend functions. After all, I didn’t have to go to the meetings; I could run around the hotel all day at my parent’s expense. Great gig, huh?

Anyways, I was hanging out with a friend whose parents were also at the function. I can’t remember what hotel it was, and I’m not even going to try and guess, but it was definitely a high-rise. I remember this because of the frequent up-and-down elevator trips.

So we were eating at the hotel restaurant when I notice a lot of young, big guys walking around the lobby area. Turns out that they were all college football players who were in town for the Senior Bowl, which is sort of like the NFL Pro Bowl, but on a college level. The best players in the nation come to this game.

Of course, I was at the impressionable age of 11, so college students were pretty much adults in my estimation. And since I was a college football fan, my friend and I decided to get autographs. So we grabbed a sheet of paper that had the roster of all the players in the game (believe I swiped it off a table, but don’t quote me on that).

We garnered a lot of autographs over the next hour. Didn’t get everyone’s, of course, but my page was stacked with signatures. Bear in mind, all of these players were big time NFL prospects at the time. For instance, I remember getting Jerome Bettis’ autograph, among others. Not sure how significant it would in terms of monetary value, but it would be interesting to take a look at that sheet and see who signed it. Probably in the depths of my parent’s attic somewhere.

So this was an important sheet of paper to me. Once we were through getting autographs, my friend and I decided to resume running around the hotel. As we passed by the elevators, one of them was opening up and the ol’ up-and-down elevator game sounded like fun.

So we rushed into the elevator, but in the process, my signature-ridden sheet of paper slipped from my hand and start floating in the air. It began spiraling to the ground and at the angle it was going, it was actually going to FALL DOWN THE ELEVATOR CRACK!!!

I knew it in my heart that it was gone. Sure, I could have gotten another sheet of paper and asked everyone again to please sign the paper. Yeah, right. Bother all of them again to get an autograph? Besides, even if I did that, most of the players had already left the lobby to go do what college football players do when left unsupervised for a weekend.

Flashes of despair and grief went through my mind as the paper headed toward the crack. It was slow motion. Honestly, what are the odds that a piece of paper would go down the crack? What terrible luck!

Sure enough, the paper was proceeding to go down the elevator shaft. But just when half of it was gone, a hand miraculously intervened and snatched the sheet before it went all the way down. It was one of the college football players. Calmly, he handed me the sheet of paper and went up the elevator with us. I said thank you. He said you’re welcome. I asked him for his autograph.

Turns out that player was Tony McGee, a tight end who played for the Cincinnati Bengals throughout the 90′s. Now, I believe he’s an analyst on an NFL analysis show called Pro Football Plus.

At any rate, this guy went out of his way to make sure that a young kid’s hopes and dreams didn’t slip through the cracks. Maybe that’s being a bit dramatic; a contrived attempt to fit the title into the article. Some people may say, “that’s something anyone would do.” As I see it, kindness is kindness, and it should not be taken for granted.

If you think it’s a good idea to share a good memory, go for it. It makes people feel better. I feel better already.