The other day I was in an especially good mood. The weather was perfect and I was feeling grateful for just about everything. As I exited Publix Supermarket with my groceries for the week, I heard what sounded like classical music - an oddity for this location at this time. What could it be? I turned around and located the source: an immigrant couple was playing music across the street and asking for money. And as it turned out, it wasn’t classical music exactly, just an instrumental version of ‘Hallelujah.’ Close enough, I guess.

I was struck by a pang of remorse for all the people out there who have so little to their name and so few options to do anything about it. What about all those migrants fleeing Syria?!? Or is it Libya? What about all those South American folks washing windshields in Denver? If they could be doing anything else, they would. Life has dealt a hard hand to a great many people, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

Well, I decided, maybe I can’t help everyone, but I can help them. I can show some humanity and appreciation - at least these people were real musicians! And pretty talented, too. I didn’t hear a single missed note, and not one missed beat. How is it that someone with such skill ends up busking outside a supermarket in a country where they don’t even speak the language? And they have kids to feed as well! (Probably. Actually I don’t know if they had kids. At this point I’m filling in the blanks.)

As car after car drove past them without a glance in their direction, I pulled up alongside the musicians. Getting closer, I saw that the wife wasn’t actually playing anything, just the husband. And he was accompanied by a backup speaker. Oh well, I thought, makes no difference. I got out of my car and walked around to where they were; they eyed me nervously. I pulled out my wallet, and inside I saw a one dollar bill, and a twenty. A twenty may seem like a bit much, but a single dollar is so meager it’s almost insulting. Who am I to pinch pennies at a time like this, Ebenezer Scrooge?

Feeling very good about myself, but also a little nervous since I happened to have recently lost my job, I plucked the Jackson out of my wallet and dropped it into their hat. The wife, who was closer, smiled gratefully. Thank you sir! God bless you. I smiled back.

As I turned to leave, I glanced back at them one last time. I took a closer look at the husband, and his violin. And I noticed his bow wasn’t touching the strings. He wasn’t actually playing anything at all. 100% of the music was coming from the speaker. He was just dancing with a violin, nothing more. I got in my car and drove away.

I’m writing this because I feel like it’s a story worth telling, and yet I don’t quite know why. Am I a fool? Yeah, probably. And who knows, maybe I just wanted to do it to feel good about myself . . . I don’t really know how to interpret this.

And yet, I regret nothing.

I respect their hustle.