PAYING IT FORWARD

I have put off writing this post for a few weeks.

Only because I don't write it to brag on the things

I do or how I live my life. Believe me, I am far from

perfect, I am a sinner just like most of us are,

yet I have a big heart, again, like most of us have.

I may be different in the fact I am a people watcher 

AND I WATCH PEOPLE 

and the things going around me.

So I write this not for recognition but to say

if we pay it forward, without letting those know

what you have done for them, The Big Man will

let you know He sees.

So a few days when things calmed from the floods

I went to BR. I had gotten a reward card for

$100 so I wanted to treat myself to a movie

and wanted go to some of my thrift stores I venture to.

At my first store, I witness a man asking the cashier

if she could hold a shelf he needed post flood

"I need to go get some cash from my wife for this,

Can you hold this for me?"

her answer, quite sarcastically,

"I am not supposed to hold things, I will give

you and hour but then its going back on the shelf."

"No ma'am I will be less than 15 minutes"

"Hurry up she answers"

Having seen his worried face and he short tongued

answer, I ask, "How much is it?"

She rolls her eyes and explains I can't sell it to you yet.

I answer, "I don't want to buy it I want to know how much

it is" Six dollars.... SIX DOLLARS....

this woman, putting this man through worry over 6 dollars.

I hand her a 5 and a 1 and she looks at me confused.

"When he comes back in, don't tell him who I am,

just tell him someone paid it"

I walk away. I don't pay attention if and when he

comes back in but when I get to the register,

the cashier is nicer, she is smiling,

she tells me the man was in shock, almost in tears

and he said that if the person who paid is still here,

let them know I will also pay it forward today.

After, I go eat at Panda Express,

place is packed as it has the best food for a 

fast food restaurant. The line is almost outside and yet

the first worker you meet is a young spanish girl,

she is hot, sweaty and yet everytime someone walks in the door,

"Good afternoon, how are you?"

To others in the line,

"Would you like a sample/"

If she noticed the workers did not understand her 

English she would speak Spanish to them without 

a beat. How good that must have had those tired workers

feel, finally someone who spoke like them.

She is busy and yet she smiles constantly, 

when ordering food from the kitchen

"Please and thank you" come out

of each command. I decide to eat my food there,

I sit close so I can continue to watch her interact

with others. It quietens down and I think, well 

finally she will take a small break.

NO, she get wipes, a broom and starts cleaning

the tables, sweeping the floors,

This girl is an awesome employers.

I take the time to write her a love note.

I explain that I have watched her,

she is what all people should be when working

with the public, how she has brightened 

everyones day. I get up to hand it to her

wrap to 5 dollar bills in the note.

"OH, no Ma'am, I can't take tips"

"Its not a tip, its a love note"

She seems shocked thanks me.

After a little while she comes back to my booth,

teary-eyed, thanking me so much for the note.

"Ma'am, today is my first day, I just moved here

from California and I miss my family so much,

you have made my day."

No sweet girl you have made my day and 

many other people who patronize this place.

Story does not end here.....

Remember I have a gift card from AT and T.

I treat myself to the movies, a pizza at the movies

and as I make my order I hear a young family 

behind me, two young children,

and they are trying to figure out the cheapest way

to make this experience for their family 

a good one. I can tell there is not much money

for snacks. As I walk to where you pick up pizza

I hand a 20 to the employer and tell him

after I walk away, use this money to get that

little family whatever snacks they want.

I go into my movie feeling good.

And then, the Big Man rewards me.

I have 15 dollar free rewards play at

Hollywood Casino. I am too cheap to spend much 

of my money at casino but this is free play.

One hour later, I walk out with $115 cash

and still have $50 dollars on my rewards card.

It may not always happen this quickly that

you are rewarded for paying it forward,

but eventually you will be rewarded.

It was a great day for me that day last week

when so many were struggling with flooding

I was thankful that I could go to my comfortable cottage

and having made myself and a few others 

happy for paying it forward.