Sometimes a story begins with something very small. For me, this one began with a conversation with Brian, who works with me at Rosita’s Cocina.
Brian had a bicycle — until a friend of his needed one more than he did, so he gave his away. That left Brian riding an old bike from the 1980s.
He never asked me for anything.
Then one day, while we were talking, he mentioned a bicycle he’d seen at Riverside Cycle here in Newburyport.
He started telling me how awesome this bike was, and something about the way he talked about it stuck with me. You could see how much he loved it. He was almost dreaming about it.
But for Brian, it was simply out of reach. It was a lot of money for him, and I knew buying it wasn’t really an option.
I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Here was someone who had given his own bicycle away because a friend needed it more than he did — now riding around on an old bike, dreaming about the one sitting in the window at our local bike shop.
So I went to Riverside Cycle.
The bike was originally around $749. When they learned what I was trying to do, they immediately became part of the story: a $200 discount, and I put down a deposit.
Then I turned to the community.
I shared Brian’s story and asked if anyone wanted to help get him the bicycle.
I expected it might take a while.
It took about 30 minutes.
People started contributing almost immediately — from Newburyport, and from well beyond it. Many of them didn’t know Brian. They didn’t need to — they’d heard about someone who had done something kind for another person, and they wanted to return that kindness.
Before I knew it, we’d raised enough for the bicycle. People kept asking how else they could help, and there was even additional support for things Brian needed, including a jacket.
When Brian found out what all these people had done for him, he cried. He was so grateful — he couldn’t believe that people cared about him that much.
That moment stayed with me, because I realized this story was never really about a bicycle.
It was about what happens when kindness travels from one person to another.
Brian helped his friend.
I happened to hear Brian dreaming about a bicycle.
Riverside Cycle decided to help.
Then people from all over stepped in.
That is what I have experienced again and again as a small-business owner in Newburyport. Rosita’s may be my business, but it has never existed by itself. It exists because people walk through our doors, support us, know our employees, attend our events, recommend us to their friends — and show up when somebody needs help.
Sometimes we think community means living in the same place.
I think it means something more.
Community is noticing people.
It’s listening when someone tells you about a bicycle he knows he probably can’t afford.
It’s a local business saying, “We can help.”
It’s strangers contributing $10 or $20 because they want somebody else to have a good day.
And sometimes it’s giving away your own bicycle because your friend needs it more than you do.
Brian’s kindness started this story.
People from Newburyport — and far beyond it — finished it.
And in about 30 minutes, they reminded me exactly why I am so proud to have built Rosita’s here.
