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Pay It Forward

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:16 pm
by Something to say
My hubby had an appt with the eye doctor this past week. I went into the office with him but later went to the car to wait. While sitting in the car...... I watched an elderly black man shuffling up the street pushing a grocery cart full of "stuff". To my horror....I also watched him pick through the trash cans looking for something to eat. He found a McDonald's bag...with a few fries and a half-eaten burger. He carefully started picking the bitten parts off and sat down on a bench to eat his meal. I bolted out of the car and asked him BEFORE he actually took a bite if he was intending that sandwich for his pet...or if he was hungry. His reply..."Ma'am, I'm hungry." There was a cafe a few doors down and I told him I would be right back. He wrapped his sandwich and began to saunter off in the other direction.

As I entered the cafe a waitress approached me and was going to show me to a table... I asked her for her "to go menu" and she said they really didn't supply take out. I asked if I could please get a hamburger or cold sandwich to go and she asked me what was wrong. I guess I was blubbering. I told her of the incident I had just witnessed and she quickly put a styrofoam of soup and crackers and a spoon in a bag. She too, was in tears. She walked outside with me and the man was gone. Truly, he was just here!, I exclaimed. Then I spotted the man a few blocks up the street going through yet another garbage can. I ran to him and placed the bag on his cart. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, Bless you. A woman popped her head out the door of a neighboring business and yelled, "that was very nice of you." I wondered how many people sat behind windows watching this and decided for whatever reason to ignore it. I asked the elderly man to do me a favor and throw the McDonald's bag back in the trash. His reply..."but ma'am, that will be my supper." I patted him on the back and went back to my car and held my face in my hands and wept and prayed for the world.

When I finally got done crying and praying... I opened my eyes to see another man walking away from my car. And on my windshield was a big, bright, yellow parking ticket. The audacity! I leaped out of my car and yelled to the meter-reader..."TELL ME YOU ARE NOT GIVING ME A TICKET...THIS IS FREE PARKING....THERE ARE EMPTY SPOTS ON BOTH ENDS OF MY VEHICLE!!"

He shouted back, " TWO HOUR FREE....YOU'VE BEEN THERE 2 HOURS AND 8 MINUTES."

"YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING ME???"

"YUP"

"YOU SAW WHAT JUST HAPPENED HERE AND YOU'RE STILL GIVING ME A TICKET?"

"YUP"

I was mortified, stupified, and mad as h*ll. I stood there on that street amazed that I got a ticket.... thinking to myself...ya do a good deed and this is where it gets ya.....blah blah blah...poor me. A city cop... at that moment.... drove past and ...honestly...I'm not joking here....got on his mic and made a lewd comment to me as well. I climbed back in my car and carried on a 10 minute conversation with my dog.

Finally my hubby came out and the minute he looked at me, said...Oh boy...what's wrong. I quickly told him what had happened and then he said...I have to go back in there....they are sending me to a specialist. I'll tell ya about it when I return.
He came right back out and took the ticket. The doctor was going to pay it for us.

An hour later we were on our way back home from Altoona. My dog had been in his cage in the backseat for over 4 hours. When we pulled into the driveway of our home my hubby got out of the vehicle and opened the dog's cage....but before he had a chance to leash him.... my dog jumped out of the cage and ran across the road from the house to relieve himself. He was running back across the road when our neighbor hit him. I heard the thumpity thump that made my heart drop. Our neighbor slowed down, our dog got up and ran to the driveway and the neighbor continued on her way down the street. She never stopped to inquire if he was ok. I guess she thought it was our own fault...he was running at large. Thankfully... my puppy is ok. I, however, am not.

It bothers me that people are cold and hungry all over this world. It bothers me that elderly people are neglected and not respected. It bothers me that people can't make a fair judgement call. It bothers me that paid officials are roaming our streets acting like immature teenagers. It bothers me that people could hit a dog and not be concerned about the outcome.

But more than anything it bothers me that...just like in the film Pay It Forward....good deeds often come with a price. WHY??? I didn't feed a man because I wanted patted on the back. I didn't feed a man because I wanted to feel good about myself. I fed a man because he was hungry and I was able. I didn't change anything. He had McDonald's leftovers for supper. God only knows what or how he's eating today.

My parents taught me many things throughout my life. There but for the grace of God go I ..... is an old proverb that angers me. Should we be thankful that in a bad situation we're not the implied one? Empathy. Despite any adversity that comes with compassion....If we all would just give a little.....


Kudos to the woman working at Michael's Cafe, and to MountainView Eye Associates....Thank God for my dog's well being....If I had it all to do over again....I'd re-live that day the very same way.

Re: Pay It Forward

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:34 pm
by Rick
I'm not a man of many words, but thank you for this...

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Re: Pay It Forward

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:33 pm
by My2Cents
Oh my goodness !!! What an experience you encountered today and I'm so sorry you had to deal with getting a ticket after all was said and done. Maybe you should fight that ticket, tell them all that had transpired prior to receiving it. Amazing that he knew how long you were parked there !!!
Whew, I'm glad your puppy is OK. I think someone up there was watching out for you and your puppy, paying you back for the good deed you did earlier
Let's hope that someone can take that man in, feed him, and give him shelter. I'm sure that man will never forget your kindness !!
WOW !!! Thanks for "doing unto others"... one of those lesson's we all need reminded of every so often.

Re: Pay It Forward

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 1:18 pm
by Something to say
Rick...hey... yw :wink:
And ty for giving us the opportunity to come together and share our stories and opinions.

Re: Pay It Forward

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 2:07 am
by Leep
It is difficult to come to any reasonable terms with what happened to you..But what you did you did out of a sense of goodness and decency and all that transpired after pales in comparison...
And the only thing that I feel bad about is that you were so disconsolate that you sat and cried because of the mans condition...But, I understand it, and truth be told probably would have done the same thing..I find I'm a terrible sentimentalist in my later years..

Everything that occurred after your act of selflessness and kindness, if you examine it closer, either is relatively insignificant, I.E. the ticket, or extremely fortunate, your pup was hit by a two ton moving vehicle and escaped unharmed...I think you might agree that perhaps you were shown a kindness that rivals your own, perhaps by a higher power that wanted to show its approval of your selfless act by one of his own... :thumb:

So, in retrospect, both you and the homeless man received an act of selfless kindness and God Bless both of you...
Even though I don't know you except from this fine place,..... I am proud to know you....If that makes any sense.....( try to find an emotional appropriate emoticon when you need one... :banghead: )

Leep: