In college I had a part-time job at the shop downtown that sold doughnuts(a kind of oil-fried cake)and coffee． 1 on a block where a dozen buses stopped, it provided food to people who had a few minutes to wait for their 2 ．
I 3 coffee in takeout cups and patiently waited on customers who'd point through the glass case and say,“No, not that one, the one two rows over．”
Every afternoon around four o'clock, a group of school children would 4 into the shop．Adults would glance in, see the crowd and 5 on．I didn't 6 if the kids waited for the bus in the shop．
I came to know them pretty well．The older girls would tell me about their boyfriends; the younger ones would talk about school．The boys were more quiet, choosing not to 7 their secrets, but still, they'd wait every day in the store 8 their bus came．
Sometimes I'd 9 bus fare when a ticket went missing－always repaid the next day．When it snowed, the kids and I would wait anxiously for a very 10 bus．They'd call their parents to let them know they were okay．At 11 time I'd lock the door, and the kids and I would wait in the warm store until their bus finally arrived．
I 12 a lot of doughnuts on snowy days．I enjoyed my pals, but it never 13 to me that I played an important part in their lives until one Saturday afternoon when a serious-looking man entered the store and asked if I was the girl who worked weekdays around four o'clock．I 14 it was true, and he introduced himself 15 the father of two of my favorites a brother and sister team．
I want you know I appreciate what you do for my children．I 16 about them having to take two buses to get home．It 17 a lot that they can wait here and you are keeping an eye on them．
I told him it wasn't a big 18 , that I enjoyed the kids．
“No, you don't understand．When they're with the doughnuts lady, I know they're 19 ．It is a big deal．And I'm grateful．”
So I was the Doughnuts Lady．I not only had received a 20 , I had become a landmark．