Instant Karma

Let me tell you about something that happened to me today.

At 8:00 I went to the Extension School commons, where I told my students I'd be holding office hours. The room was empty except for a worker moving tables and white boards away from the center of the room.

"Hi," he said to me very directly. I usually don't like it when strangers greet me, especially when I'm alone at night. I returned the greeting and kept working on the email I was writing to my museum group. I saw him eyeing my laptop, and a few minutes later, he said, "Hey, for a computer like that, where can you buy just the power supplies?" From his accent I guessed that he was Dominican.

"I'm sure you can get it online, or at the Apple Store," I replied. End conversation, please.

"Oh because we just got a computer like that down in the science center, but it's just by itself, and the battery's gonna go dead." As he spoke, he came uncomfortably close to my laptop, examining the power outlet. "But yours is different. Newer I guess."

"Oh...you have the old round power cord?"

"Yeah, that's the one. The G4. I thought it was the same as yours."

"Oh, I don't know if they make that kind anymore at Apple...but I'm sure you could check the internet." I really wanted him to leave. It wasn't that I didn't trust him; as part of the cleaning staff he would have plenty of opportunities to steal. But he was annoying me; I wanted to finish my email and hopefully get around to some noveling.

The man explained how he had seen the cord sold online but only with the laptop, not individually. He said he had been talking to several people trying to get ahold of one. "I was hoping you might have an extra," he said. "But it's not the same as yours. Too bad."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. But keep looking, I'm sure you'll find one."

I returned to my work, hoping he wouldn't bother me anymore. He kept on pushing tables around and showed no sign of going. But after a few minutes of this, something else began to bother me. It couldn't be that hard to get an old power cord, could it? Instinctively I went to eBay, searched for "mac power cord," and there it was, the object of his quest, for $13.

"I found one," I said.

He couldn't believe it. I brought over my laptop to show him.

"Just search eBay - " I explained.

"How do I get there?"

I wrote down the url and the search info for him. He was so happy and didn't seem the least bit embarrassed to not have been familiar with eBay.

"Are you a student here?"

"Actually I'm a teaching fellow."

"Aw, no wonder you're so good with people! You're so nice with people!" He beamed. "But you're a young teacher!"

I smiled and told him I looked younger than I felt.

"Well listen, if you ever need anything you let me know. I'll be here eight to nine every night. You just let me know."

"Thank you."

"Thank you! I can't believe it!"

I felt warm inside from the man's smile. Such a simple thing. I could have just let it go. It wouldn't have been wrong. Someone else would have told him eventually. But that's not what happened.

After he finished his shift, I stretched my legs around the room and noticed a shelf marked "Book Exchange." There, among the magazines, mysteries, and academic tomes, was a mint condition copy of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. I couldn't believe it. It was one of those books I'd been meaning to read for ages but had never gotten around to.
Someone else could have taken it at any time, and I'd have left the commons empty handed. But that's not what happened.

Not one student came for help the whole hour I sat in that lounge. But I'll be going back there someday soon -- to put my own book in the Book Exchange. With any luck, Robert will be there to tell me he finally got his power cord.

I know that, had I not helped the stranger, the book still would have been there. I might still have seen it, and I might still have taken it home with me. But that's not what happened. And that's why it doesn't matter whether my kindness caused the book to appear, whether there is karma, or fate, or God. Rather, it's our actions that tie our experiences together and give these things meaning. The book was not the reward for my good deed; my happiness was, and if the book hadn't been there, then I in my happiness would have made the same connection with whatever bit of good luck happened to come my way. Now, whenever I look at that book, I'll remember.