When those incredible moments of humanity happen after a crazy Halloween Friday at school, the day before our girls’ soccer team takes on rival Pittsburg- Canaan, when snow is predicted this evening, and all the trees have shed their leaves, one takes a moment to thank a local woman named Karen. I’ve never met Karen before today, but there she was in Wayne’s Convenient Store located in North Woodstock, NH, more famous for their meats and beer selection than Hatchland’s chocolate milk. But, I knew of everywhere in town, Wayne’s was my chance to find 18 individual Hatchland chocolate milks because they are apparently an excellent post work out, post play off game, recovery beverage. First introduced to me about five years ago, the chocolate milks were a regular game day item with then varsity Coach Chris McClure. However, as good as they are, the Hatchland Dairy chocolate milk is not cheap.

But I had it in my head that these girls, these hardworking athletes, deserved Hatchland for tomorrow, for their quarterfinal match up. The last couple of weeks have been rough, losing all three captains at one point due to injury– first a knee, then a nose, followed by a broken collarbone. One of the three is able to play thankfully, but those kinds of injuries with starters shifts around where people need to step in and play. It might also have to do with me forgetting to take out an older Nesquick chocolate milk from the cooler, whose shelf life maybe finally expired, which my own daughter promptly grabbed, gulped, and regretted.

For my faraway readers, Hatchland Dairy is located in North Haverhill, NH and makes for a lovely drive really in any season but winter, and their ice cream is truly top notch. But they are so good, it’s hard to keep in stock anywhere, so I knew Wayne’s would be best bet. Our little towns have been inundated with tourists due to this season of the leaf peeping, also known as autumn in other places. The recent hard rains and winds last night have taken any last hanger- on-ers (my nickname for the stragglers). I popped into Wayne’s after school where the two gentlemen working, one may have been the new owner; his name was Nick, and he was very nice. He counted the milks and we only had 13; I needed 18- the other worker whose name I didn’t get made a good argument for the coffee flavored Hatchland milk so I grabbed 5 of those. All the while, doing what I do in stores, much to my two teenagers’ embarrassment oftentimes, but chatting them up about why Hatchland is a good recovery drink and how our Lumberjacks are playing the quarterfinals tomorrow. Blah. Blah. Blah. One of the guys grabs me a box because 18 milks are not resting easily in my arms.

I don’t immediately notice the older lady at the counter watching the scene unfold. However, when I get myself together and my box of milk up to the counter, she says to me, “Please allow me to pay for these milks for those athletes.” And I feel the tears in my eyes before I can even place the box on the counter. She continues, “I was an athlete growing up, mostly with basketball and softball, but those years were everything– and I would very much like the opportunity to support these young female athletes growing up here.” Suddenly her wallet was out, and fifty dollars exchanged hands, and I thanked her profusely and invited her to the game to watch. She thought that 3 pm was late enough in the day that if we got snow tonight it would have time to melt and she could still sleep in. I introduced myself, and she shared that she was Karen, and, now, a chocolate milk fairy godmother to a power squad of soccer playing young women (and one of their mothers- me).

Sometimes we don’t realize how much we need a little hope in humanity, but I found mine today thanks to Karen, at Wayne’s on Friday, Halloween, at about 3 pm. Maybe you will find yours in a cold cup of Hatchland chocolate milk. Maybe even at the Lumberyard tomorrow (the field behind our school) at 3 pm when the Lumberjacks play the Pittsburg-Canaan Hornets. The power of Hatchland…the power of Karen’s kindness… the power in young women playing soccer together on a cold November day. Hope to see you there!