The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 009

Friday, February 12, 2021

Recipient(s):

Murray the dog and his human, Laura @ Stella's Coffee, Platt Park

No explanation required. Just know that the picture does not do him justice. 💓

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 008

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Recipient: 
Chris M. and the crew @ Colore Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, Denver

Five Reasons Chris / His Crew Deserves This Award

1. Look at the guy. Even masked up, you can tell he's smiling. He loves his work, especially the part where he can go around to the tables and chat with his customers. (As you can well imagine, the pandemic has been hard on him and the business. And still he smiles.)
2. The food and atmosphere are excellent.
3. He's a fellow fohmah New Englandah and it's fun to break into a wikkid Massachusetts accent with him.
4. The service is fantastic. Seriously, where does he find all these nice people?
5. Prior to the pandemic closures, for...eight years? ten years?...he had allowed a group of musicians who took classes at Swallow Hill to stay after hours on Wednesday nights to sit around, have a few drinks, and jam. Ask any of these regulars and they will tell you that those evenings were the highlights of their weeks and their lives. I will tell you that those evenings allowed me to meet people who have become my most beloved friends. It has meant the world to us for him to be to so generous with his time.

Thank you again, Chris & company, from the bottom of my heart.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 007

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Recipient: 
The older gentleman at Duffeyroll Cafe Bakery, Platt Park, Denver

I am replaying the scene in my mind: man walks into cafe, man places order, man sits down at a table.

There were no grand gestures or anything particularly dramatic on offer from him.

Friendly chatter with the staff, a "hello" to one patron, a nod to another.

So, why the award?

Simple acknowledgement.

It used to be a social requirement: you pass someone, you extend a greeting. I don't know when we decided that it wasn't necessary, but I think maybe it was a misstep to let these small niceties fall by the wayside.

I wrote the note, put it on his table, and walked away.

"Dear Sir,

Your friendly manner was a bright spot in my day -- 

Thank You!

With gratitude,

Michelle"

Note:

Sometimes it's the little things.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 006

Sunday, February 6, 2021

Recipient: 
Steam Espresso Bar, Platt Park, Denver

Sometimes, it is 7:15 PM Mountain Time in Denver, Colorado. One decides it is a beautiful night for a stroll. One dons one's 56 layers of clothing and wanders around one's neighborhood.

And sometimes, one realizes one is alone in the world. 

The streets are entirely bereft of passing strangers.

But take heart! There is a local coffee shop with a warm and friendly staff who serves up delicious caffeinated beverages. Sometimes, when one is lucky, the local coffee shop has not run out of custard tarts when one arrives, and one can contemplate how fortunate one is to finally understand what Lionel from As Time Goes By was on about.* 

And one decides that the existence of the local coffee shop and its staff is a good enough reason for a BRIGHT SPOT Award.

Sometimes, it is 7:15 PM Mountain Time and the local coffee shop has been closed for more than four hours.

One is not deterred by such insignificant details.

One stands in the light of the street lamp, scribbles the name of the local coffee shop on an already-filled-out slip of cardstock, pops it through the mail slot in the door, and then hurries away.

Notes:

* Wikipedia: As Time Goes By (British TV Series)

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 005

Sunday, February 7, 2021

Recipient: 
Mike R., Platt Park, Denver

This is the view from my writing desk.

Do you see a red brick building with a tower off in the distance? Above and to the left of my neighbor’s skylight? I have often looked out the window and wondered what it could be. On this day my wondering coincided with Mike being in the room.

I pointed. “Do you know what that building is?”
“No, I don’t.” He paused. “Wanna find out?”
Definitely, YES.

Fifteen minutes later Henry (my trusty first-gen Scion xB) was zig-zagging through Denver with me at the wheel and Mike calling out directions to best the red line he had plotted on Google Maps in the general direction of our the tower, which we reached quite easily.

I ignored the “No Trespassing” signs and parked in a nearly empty lot so we could take some pictures.

Then we ducked back into the car to get out of the wind and search the internet for more information.

Evidently, we were standing on the former campus of Loretto Heights College. The 1890 structure I could see from my window started out as the college’s administration building. (Fun fact: The guy who designed it – Frank Edbrooke – was the same guy who designed The Brown Palace and a bunch of other landmark buildings in Denver.) It has been empty since 2017 when its most recent tenant, Colorado Heights University, shut its doors. It was purchased by a development company in 2018 who says it intends to reuse the existing structures. I certainly hope so.

We capped off our afternoon with a visit to Panera for some mac and cheese and one of the best views of the mountains.

My original intention was to only give out BRIGHT SPOT Awards to strangers. That was the point, right? Talk to people in passing, share my gratitude, spread a little love. Using a candidate pool populated with family, friends and acquaintances would feel like cheating because it would be too easy; those folks make me smile all the time.

 

But c’mon. This was too good. My sweetheart won the day fair and square because instead of shrugging his shoulders and letting the spark of curiosity fade from his mind, he was game for following the trail wherever it led.

Thought:

Be like Bilbo: If such an opportunity presents itself, get out of your chair, walk out the door of your Hobbit hole, and go on an adventure.

 

Additional reading on Loretto Heights:

Regis Magazine: A Last Look at Loretto Heights College

Historic Denver: Loretto Heights - What's Next?

Denver Post: Denver wants southwest residents to weigh in on Loretto Heights’ future as redevelopment looms

Denverite: What’s new at Loretto Heights? Potentially a crucial vote on when to start the project.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 004

Saturday, February 6, 2021

Recipient: 
Mark, the whistling mail carrier, Platt Park, Denver

I was out for a walk with my sweetheart Mike today when I heard a wonderfully robust whistle coming from who knows where. Turns out it was a mail carrier, walking from house to house, whistling a tune I couldn’t identify but could hear from a block away.

My whistling is wispy and unimpressive, so it tickles me pink to hear someone who’s got the goods.

I hurried to catch up with him as Mike, accustomed to this sort of behavior from me, trailed behind. The purveyor of post took out his earbuds to listen as I asked his name and explained what I was up to and why. Mark told us he was listening to a live (authorized) recording of an Elton John concert he had actually attended a few years back. We were catching him whistling along to “Bennie and the Jets” and reliving a good memory. We thanked him for his time and the entertainment, and he returned to his route and his music.

Bonus:

The person who created the “Private Eyes” sign, Platt Park, Denver

We passed this on our return trip. Having had a poster of this image on my bedroom wall as a tween (Darryl Hall was so dreamy), it immediately caught my attention. Reading the text caused me an out-loud cackle-snort and I had to leave an award in the mailbox. As it turns out, the people were just exiting as I turned toward their house. The woman was quite pleased that we enjoyed the parody. “My husband said nobody would get it!” Madam, we most certainly did. 

Thoughts:
Moments of connection are out there, little miracles waiting to happen.
A spoonful of humor helps the message go down.

 

 

  

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Day 003

Friday, February 5, 2021

Recipient: 
Suzette @ IKEA Bistro, Centennial

Today’s recipient was whipping up cones and doling out cinnamon buns at the little bistro at IKEA, where I went in search of tea lights and taper candles.

Cashiers and sales associates hold a special place in my heart. Working in the service industry exposes you to treatment that can range from neglectful to disdainful to abusive, as if customers forget that they’re standing in front of a human being who has a story and has value. When the person at the counter still greets you with a warm smile while the line is five deep on either end, that person deserves an award.

I would have liked to have taken her picture. 

I would have liked to have asked her about her story.

Alas, while well-intentioned, doing so would have caused her delays and made her job more difficult. So I placed my order, handed her the slip of cardstock, and moved on.

Thoughts:

It’s not about me.

Sometimes a picture of the parking garage is the best you can do.