Took an uber and a nice elderly driver picked me up. He asked me how my day was and if it were another day our conversation might've ended there, but I asked him back and he replied saying it was "interesting". I asked him why. Unforetunately my memory is failing me so skip forward, but we continued to talk and he told me his long time friend from high school (60 years, they know each other from 7th grade) was evicted from her(?) apartment and by doing uber he (along with their whole high school class) was trying to help her and he was also helping to pay for his daughter's college tuition. He also said that it was nice how he could talk to people from all over the world, something apparently people in this area didn't like doing (? Is that what he said? I don't feel that way though but Idk) . But that this job does require patience. I asked him what was something bizarre or interesting, if any popped into his mind. He said last night. He was driving a Stanford economics professor (who's a lady) when a guy with, he thinks, a Russian accent on a motorcycle got mad at him out of nowhere and was yelling and flicking his side mirror. This is probably out of order but I'll continue. He was a California highway patrol officer by the way. He told me drunk driving was at least half of all the reasons people crashed their cars. After my call with Jess I asked him if he'd been to the Academy of sciences. He has, but not for 40 years. I imagine he worked hard for his family and did a lot to help others here and there along the way. Anywho. I told him I was from Canada and my friends said it was nice so I'm giving it a go as well. He asked me which part. I told him I'm from Vancouver and study on Ontario. He told me his grandmother is French Canadian. Recently he was reunited with his third cousin who lives in Pitt Meadows. (He had lost touch with this side of his family until his cousin emailed him. He told me he was blessed and I thought it was really really nice.) He said he can totally see himself living in Canada but his wife is from the Philippines and can't bear cold weather. I told him the west coast / Vancouver is fine but Ontario is freezing, east coast of North America in general. He even said that when God created the earth he put an extra 5 minutes in Canada. Haha. I chuckled. Eventually we were approaching the Academy and after talking, I really wanted to make to a small donation to help his friend. Afraid he was going to refuse or something was going to stop the donation from happening, I tried to quickly write a note wishing his friend good luck to be attached with the bills so he wouldn't think someone left the money behind accidentally, but there was not enough time. He brought the vehicle to a stop. I only had two five dollar and two one dollar bills and I gave him the former. "Uhm, I'd like to make a donation" I said as I was about to leave the car. (I think he didn't hear me clearly and I said again "I'd like to make a donation to your friend c:".) He turned around halfway (and I think he took his glasses off) and let out a sort of muttered (relieved and hopeful yet slightly apologetic) "oh" and instantly tears started to fill the rim of his eyes as he took the money. his hands shaking with tremor. I felt a blissful aosifjosidfj and too started to tear up "aww, ..I hope your friend finds a place to live!" I said wishing him luck and before I left, "have a nice day!". I think he was still in a state of shock and gratefulness and speechlessness. He seemed like a really simple guy who just wanted to helped people and really enjoyed doing it. I think often times the importance of these in-person donations isn't the amount of money or time or effort given, but that by giving and wanting to give, gives people hope. $10 is not at all enough to help his friend find a place. But I think I really gave him hope. and that's what gets us out of bed in the morning and gives us motivation to go to bed and look forward to the next morning. welp. I really really truly do hope his friend can find a new place and his daughter can go through college smoothly. yes. it seems so obvious now but, donations are about giving hope!

nice meeting you jack!