I spent the weekend in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where the day job graciously put me up in a hotel in exchange for some long and late work hours. On Saturday I went to the Arbor Brewing Company on the recommendation of a friend, both for a change of scenery and because I have not been eating much of anything since the whole border ordeal went down.

I sat in a window booth, watching the wind blow and the rain drive down on hapless pedestrians as I hacked away at the keyboard. The weather matched my mood and none of the laughter or cheery conversation around me did much to change that.

I had a nice sweet potato bisque and chicken nachos — one thing this place is known for is their use of locally grown and organic foods — and lots of ice tea. Much later, the waitress came over to the table; I knew something was up by the way she stood. She wasn’t just there to refill my drink for the twelfth time.

“It’s soup karma,” she said. “I get free soup everywhere I go. Pass it along.”

She dropped off the bill and walked away. For as shitty as I was feeling, that sure made my day. Thanks, Jacqueline.