While living in New York, my family and I often took road trips during winter vacation, making the long drive to Miami. One of our favorite stops was South of the Border in South Carolina, a quirky tourist spot that remains a treasure to this day. I have so many memories from those trips, but one stands out—etched into my heart by the kindness of a stranger.
I was 9 or 10 years old, bubbling with excitement as we stopped at South of the Border. The arcade was my favorite place. The flashing lights, the sounds of the machines, and most importantly, the prizes! On this particular day, I had my heart set on a plastic brown horse with a black mane, one of the prizes displayed behind the counter.
I pleaded with my mom for another quarter to play the games that rewarded us with prize tickets. She held firm to her “no” because she didn’t like us pushing our luck, and I reluctantly accepted that I wouldn’t have enough tickets for the horse. Disappointed, I pushed to the counter with my mom, searching for a consolation prize with the tickets I had.
I wasn’t exactly happy—when I set my sights on something, I’m always determined to get it! But then, something unexpected happened. A man, whose face I can’t recall after all these decades, approached us. He spoke to my mom, and she must have nodded her approval because he then turned to me and said, “Close your eyes and open your hands.”
I hesitated, looking up at my mom for permission. After she gave me the go-ahead, I did as he asked. When I opened my hands, I felt the weight of countless South of the Border tokens pouring into my palms. My eyes widened with delight—I had so many tokens that I needed a cup to hold them all!
I was thrilled. I pushed back to the arcade, determination fueling every turn of my wheels. In the 1970s, not every arcade game was accessible to me, so I carefully chose ones I could reach and play. I don’t remember what game I played that day, but I do remember the joy of hearing the clink of tickets spilling out of the machine as I worked toward my goal.
Eventually, I returned to the counter, hopeful that I had enough tickets for the horse. The guy at the counter, now familiar with my quest, smiled as he counted. Unfortunately, I still didn’t have enough. Disappointed but grateful for the man’s kindness, I selected another prize. My mom reassured me that maybe, on our return trip, I could try again.
We went to the diner to eat before continuing our journey to Disney. As we were leaving, the same man appeared again. He asked me once more, “Close your eyes and open your hands.” This time, I didn’t hesitate. Maybe I’ve always been a hopeful person, even as a child.
When I opened my hands, I didn’t feel the familiar weight of tokens. Instead, I opened my eyes to see it—the brown horse with the black mane. My heart leapt with joy! I thanked him with a huge smile and looked to my mom for approval. She smiled and nodded, and I thanked him again before holding onto that horse like it was the most precious thing in the world.
I don’t know what happened to that horse or to the kind stranger, but his generosity has stayed with me my entire life. To this day, when I see a child with their eyes glued to something they truly want, I channel his kindness.
So, to the kind stranger from South of the Border: thank you. Your simple act of generosity became a lifelong memory.
This is the first of 55 stories I’m sharing to celebrate my 55th year of life. If you enjoyed this story and feel it’s worth a cup of coffee, here’s the link to support my work.
Thank you for reading,
Nathasha
Be sure you read about my three words. Click here.
