This is Domeng, my favorite panadero. He delivers my pan de sal each morning which, I have to admit, complements my instant coffee. 3-in-1 coffee mixes sucks. That is until I have it with Domeng's pan de sal.
So is Domeng's pan de sal to die for? Not really. Though they are clean and oven fresh, the true blue pan de sal eater will surely have a thing or two sour to say of his bread.
But what his pan de sal might lack Domeng makes up through his love of work.
You see, no matter the difficulty of his business, through heat and rain, Domeng smiles.
No matter how little you buy, he continues to smile and will still cheerfully include an extra piece into your paper bag.
No matter how pressed he is for time, he would engage in small chat if he feels you are up to it and often, a little wisdom gets tossed into your conversation.
Adding value in what he does seems to be his call of the day. He loves his work and that love, unaware he might be, extends to those who buys his pan de sal.
In my mind, it is this brand of cheer that creates the flavor in my bland 3-in-1 coffee mix. And it is this happy morning encounter that brings about a positive and enthusiastic start to my day.
And for those unexpected instances, like missing a day's delivery because he has to attend a fiesta at their home town, they are quickly forgotten. After all, a daily dose of kindness is sure to bring out the forgiving spirit.
So after a day that is dominated by chaos due to congested roadways, surly security guards, yapping fuel station attendants, gossiping sales ladies, devil-may-care drivers, inconsiderate fellow road users, overloaded buses, corrupt traffic enforcers, grim office politics, noisy fastfood buzz boys, long queues at ATM machines, the generally unfriendly world, it is perhaps a bit assuring that kindness and good cheer is just a morning away, courtesy of my favorite panadero.
