The Times Today

The NY Times is my very favorite newspaper.
I was very sad, when we moved to SF, to watch the price of the daily paper go up, but more so, the Sunday Edition.  It recently rose to $6.00!
Yes, it's cheaper than a paperback book, but it's essentially simple ephemera.
For that reason alone, it's dear to my heart.
But also for the Travel section, and the magazine, and the Sunday Styles and, of course, the wedding announcements, I LOVE this paper.

I got into this very conversation with a man in my local video/coffee store on this past Sunday.  He was buying the Times and the Chronicle (which I don't bother with at all) and started to tell me, even in Brazil, where he's from, he bought this paper.  A well-read person really shouldn't do without, no matter how far away.  I was lamenting the cost of the paper and how much I truly miss it when, from behind the counter, R. countered with:  but you can read it online, can't you?
Ah, we both agreed, but it's not the same.

He walked out with his two newspapers and I bid him good reading, with ciao!'s all around.

Less than five minutes later, he walked back in and told R. he needed to purchase another copy of the Times.  I joked that it must be for me because he thought it was sad I wouldn't be reading it today.  He finished paying, picked up the thick pages and handed them to me:   This is for you.

I was so completely taken aback, I blurted out gracias as he walked out the door,
he turned back and said, we say obrigado.

But, of course.
Obrigado, dear stranger, for your random act of kindness!