I was cozied up with my sisters in a beautiful tea shop this weekend. It was cold out and we were in a little indoor gazebo full of pillows. There was a man in the gazebo who was quietly eating cookies and writing in a journal. Outside the gazebo, there were a few more people — a couple studying for the GMAT, what looked like high school students on a date, and two friends having an insanely intimate conversation about the drama in their lives. The level of drama was high — including which of their friends they thought were having an affair. As someone who loves to eavesdrop and people watch, I could hardly bring myself to contribute to my own conversation with my sisters, because I could just not turn away.

When they left, we were joking to the gazebo guy about how over the top it all was and how we felt like they must have been performance artists.

We stayed a little longer, and then got up to go. The waiter told us that the nice man from the gazebo had paid our check for us!

It was such an unexpected but sweet gesture, and made all of us feel happy the rest of the weekend. Thanks, Nice Man!