Chapter 4: Random Acts of Kindness
One unseasonably cool last Saturday of May 2021, I met up with my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at the Pittsburgh's Perfect Parties office in Monroeville for Random Acts of Kindness in preparation for the Three Rivers Arts Festival the next week. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Just so you know, we already listened to Santana on the way here, so we really don't need any music for our projects tonight," I reminded my best friends. "What is everyone looking forward to at the Three Rivers Arts Festival next week?" James asked us. "I am looking forward to getting out in the warm summer weather and meeting new people. Hopefully, people like the rocks that we are painting for them tonight." "I am going to paint my rock camouflage because I think that it would look great," Henri stated. "It reminds me of joining Boy Scouts groups in elementary school." "That was the same day I asked Betsy to the school dance in high school, and I am hoping to meet a whole lot more young girls at the festival," James stated. "My rock is going to look very summery with a tropical beach look in the background." "I will just paint my rock pink with some pretty flowers and hearts on top," Sarah stated. "That will display what a big heart I have and how much I enjoy helping other people." "You do have a good heart, Sarah," I pointed out. "One person that I do not wish to see at the festival this year is Nathan because he was mean to me by taking advantage of me for studying by cheating off of my history exam and then, worst of all, blaming me for cheating when it was all HIS fault!" Sarah exclaimed. "Do you think that he will be in jail for cheating?" "Well, I don't know about jail, Sarah," I pointed out. "But, he did get detention for his bad behavior. Jail is more for things like stealing, abusing others, or breaking the law!" "He still didn't have to cheat off my exam," Sarah pointed out. "Do you know what you are going to paint your rock with, Angel?" "Yes, I do," I replied. "I am going to color it black with the Pittsburgh's Perfect Parties logo and balloons and confetti in the background." "That sounds nice, Angel," Sarah told me. We had ginger sesame green bean stir-fry for dinner. Then, Sarah, James, and Henri played a navigation game in which Sarah navigated her way from Ross Township to Oakland, James navigated his way from the southern suburbs to Shadyside, and Henri navigated his way from the northern suburbs to the South Side. After we were done painting our rocks, James and Henri drove Sarah and me back to our condominium in Squirrel Hill. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Good night, guys!" "Good night!"