I have a silly story about Chadwick Boseman that is about a simple act of kindness that I've never forgotten. The only time I ever crossed paths with him was in 2013, when he was promoting his first leading role, as Jackie Robinson in 42...

The interviews were in early April at Wrigley Field, and on this particular day, it was unusually frigid. I live near the park, so I just walked to the interview, which was probably a mistake. The interview was in one of the sky boxes…

I was scheduled to talk to him right after his lunch, so I was asked to stand outside the room until he was done, which was actually outside, high up in the rafters of Wrigley Field. He must have been told I was out there, and he asked the publicist to invite me in while he ate…

He didn't want to do the interview until he was done eating, so he really just brought me in to get me out of the cold. He offered me chili (there was a vat of it on hand), a drink, and we just shot the breeze about the park, the Cubs, the city…

He seemed especially curious about what life was like for someone who lived near a major ballpark. It was your basic small talk, and he was very good at it. …

The interview was great, and more than once he mentioned that he was especially proud that he was part of a film that showed parts of a Black person's life "that white people didn't get to see," like the moment where Robinson breaks his bat in anger…

What stuck with me was that this was an actor who didn't shy away from showing the world every corner of the Black experience, even the things that made people uncomfortable. Truth was important to him…

But for me, he'll always be the actor on the verge of so much who invited this dopey, under-dressed writer in from the cold. I never would have thought twice about it if he hadn't, but he did, and he'll forever be an example of how a small kindness makes all the difference.

#ripchadwickboseman