There was also this very cool story about spontaneous generosity. A refugee family from Somalia had emigrated to the US with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They were on a plane to Chicago when a fellow passenger struck up a conversation, presumably with the 10-year-old son who was the only one who could speak English. On learning of the family's situation, the passengers requested and received permission from the pilot to take up a collection. Passing around a "barf bag" they raised nearly $900 for the family. According to the story, when the father was handed the money he didn't understand at first what was going on. Kudos to everyone on that plane.



It occurs to me as I go to hit "post and publish" that some might find my approbation of this story incongruous when juxtaposed with the last post. The difference is in the status. I've never been rewarded for an illegal act, and don't expect to be in the future. I don't see why anyone else should be, either. Nor should they get their money back.