"Letter to Two Kind Women in Thailand" Inspired by Letter to a Stranger:

Letter to Two Kind Women in Thailand

I was relatively new to your country.

I had a job, an apartment, and a bank account,

but I had not yet needed to withdraw any money.

I knew I would need to pay bills soon

with more money than I had in my wallet.

I walked everywhere in Phitsanulok

and noticed an ATM on my way home from work that day.

You were finishing as I approached the machine.

I asked if you spoke English

and was relieved when you responded positively.

I flashed my bank card at you

and asked if you thought it was compatible with the ATM.

You looked at another woman our age

sitting on a motorcycle nearby

and spoke quick Thai with her.

You told me you believed it would work

and joined your friend and her motorcycle.

I thanked you and walked up to the machine.

I gratefully pressed the button for English instructions

and was relieved it read my card.

When I finished and turned around,

you and your friend were still there.

You asked if it had worked

and waited for my affirmative reply

before smiling and driving away.

I am still touched by your kindness.

You didn’t have to wait.

You didn’t have to care.

You could’ve easily forgotten about the white girl

who didn’t know how to use her bank card.

Thank you for answering a stranger’s question.

Thank you for staying to see if it worked --

though I don’t know what you could have done if it hadn’t.

Thank you for taking a couple of minutes

to show this girl far from home

that she was not far from kindness.