A couple of days ago I went to the pharmacy to pick up some prescriptions. I had quite a few that needed to be filled at the same time.
When I arrived, I was concerned because their card reader was down. I pay for almost everything with a credit card.
I REALLY needed my prescriptions and didn't have time to come back with cash. I had $37. I needed about $50 more.
A man who went to the cash register before I did and paid cash was still there when I was trying desperately to figure out how to pay. I asked if I could write a check. The cashier said yes, but then I put my head in my hands because I realized I didn't have any checks. I seldom pay for anything with a check these days.
I probably looked like this:
 |
| I never have no anxiety. |
I don't know what I'm going to do, I told the cashier. I need these prescriptions and I won't have a chance to come back later. She said she was sorry, but she couldn't do anything to help me.
The man who had just paid cash was still there. He said, I'll give you $50 and my address. You can mail a check to me.
I darn near passed out. What a thoughtful and generous thing to do. He had no way of knowing if he'd really get his money back.
I thanked him repeatedly and the cashiers talked about it being one of the nicest things they'd seen anyone do.
I went home with my prescriptions, wrote a check for $60, and mailed it to the gentleman. I'm sure he would say that I didn't need to give him an extra $10, but to me it's a way of paying it forward. He can use that 10 bucks for something he needs or he can give it to charity or whatever he wants.
I've had a glow of happiness around me. Have you had a similar experience with a generous stranger?
What I looked like after I wrote the check and mailed it:
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
P.S. The man said I had an honest face.
LOVELY.
ReplyDeleteYou reminded me of a rainy morning long ago when a stranger helped me change a tire, (and was late to work because of it) and when I offered to pay him he said, "no way. That's why we're here on earth, to help each other."
My two kids were in the car with me and I heard the stranger call his boss t explain he was going to be late. "Sure she can change a tire," he said. (I was not so sure) "But she had little kids!"
And after it was done, we drove our separate ways. I didn't have his address or his full name to send him anything. You bet I paid it forward, but that's another story.
That's a beautiful story, Mirka.
DeleteWhat a truly lovely man. I hope karma showers him with good things.
ReplyDeleteYes, one of the cashiers mentioned good karma.
DeleteHi Janie - so pleased you got the prescriptions and his offer was beyond generous ... excellent you sent him a cheque. I had the same in a supermarket in Canada ... someone paid for my groceries ... and then after some sleuthing I found out who he was and was able to get a card to him. I paid it forward and some extra to a bookshop for young kids in one of the local schools. It is an uplifting experience. Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteHow kind, and I'm glad you found out who he was.
DeleteA lovely story of the kindness of strangers.
ReplyDeleteI've had some other experiences with kind strangers, but I think this example is probably the most amazing.
DeleteSuch a lovely story! I'm guessing this man didn't care whether you sent him a check or not. He's probably just a kind and compassionate soul.
ReplyDeleteI heard him tell someone that he was in a position that it didn't matter if I repaid him. I'm glad I could do it, though.
DeleteWhat a great way to regain faith in the human race. That was a very nice thing to happen for you.
ReplyDeleteI was having a very rough day.
DeleteIt was late at night and I was on my way back from visiting Dagan when he lived with his dad as an older teen. I was so tired--stopped at a wayside to wake up and use the bathroom, automatically locked my car, but forgot my keys inside! These were the days when you just pushed down a button to lock your car door--LOL! A trucker gave me a quarter to use the phone so I could call the police. I had seen policemen open car doors before for people in Minneapolis. Well, a policeman came but couldn't open the car door for me because they'd changed the rules because car locks were changing so much and they were not allowed to do that anymore so he didn't even have the tool. He called a locksmith for me and waited with me until that guy arrived. I had about four dollars to my name and an empty checking account. The nice man opened my car door for me and gave me the company's address and told me to mail it to them. He didn't even take my address or anything. I'm sure he never expected I would send a check, but I did as soon as I got paid--just like I told him I would. Enclosed in a thank you card.
ReplyDeleteI also hit black ice coming off of an on ramp onto a highway in a snowstorm and slid right off the road down into the ditch When I lived in Wisconsin. Three big guys stopped (I hadn't even gotten out of the car yet) to help me out of the car. Then they literally picked up my little Honda--first the back end--then the front end--and "walked" it right up the side of the ditch and back on to the road. I stood watching with my mouth hanging open on the side of the highway in the swirling snow. They all looked so similar--and I remarked about that as they worked. "Brothers" said the one. When they got the car back up on the road I asked them if they were weightlifters or something. "Farmers" said the same brother. I started to ask them about paying them and they all waved me off and walked silently back to their truck.
I have had many situations where people have been so kind and helpful and generous. People--strangers--have never let me down under those kinds of situations. Not that I even had time to ask for help sometimes--LOL!
That was wonderful, Janie!! :)
Your stories are great. I especially like the silent sibling farmers.
DeleteBesides those two words the only other thing the one verbal brother said to me was after he tapped on my window (which scared the heck out of me). I rolled the window down and he said--You okay? Four words.
DeleteRemember that show with Bob Newhart running the inn with the three brothers where only one spoke? They seemed a little like that but smarter, big, tall, strong, and handsome. LOL!
I'm Larry. This is my brother Darrel. This is my other brother Darrel. The farmers probably thought that if they said more than four words that one of the other brothers would accuse them of being verbose.
DeleteThat is so nice!!! That happened to my mom once. Same situation...the card reader was down and she wasn't carrying cash or checks (I don't either) and a man in line behind her paid her bill. He wouldn't give her his name or address- just told her to pay it forward. She did later that week.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many nice people in the world. They just rarely make the headlines.
As a former newspaper reporter, I can tell you that when we wrote positive articles about happy events or kind acts performed that our readers didn't seem to notice them. Their eyes were drawn to the "train wreck" stories.
DeleteWhat a lovely man! Such acts of generosity are rare these days. About the store and the card reader: Our stores have a way to deal with it anyway, so you don't have to worry about producing cash. I found this: Page 21 of Visa rules for Merchants spells out what the store is supposed to do if the terminal's reader isn't working. Nowhere in the document does it say the merchant can just insist on cash.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's interesting.
DeleteTo be fair, they would have taken a check. I don't carry them anymore because I only write about 6 a year.
DeleteI do think there are far more kind people than unkind, but they get little press.
ReplyDeleteAt least I can call attention to good people in my little corner of the blogosphere.
DeleteThat was so generous and kind of him to do. There needs to be more people like him. I'm sure there are others, but they are harder to find.
ReplyDeleteI think people who appear out of nowhere to perform a kindness are akin to guardian angels.
DeleteAnd all is well with a small part of the world. How kind of Mr. Man, and you to tell us.
ReplyDeleteIt's the best story I've had to tell in quite some time.
DeleteI sent a note with the check that said "you got me through my day."
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice thing for him to do, and to have happen to you. Yes, there are still lots of good people in the world. Thanks for telling us this good-news story, Janie.
ReplyDeleteI loved being able to share the story.
DeleteLOVE, JANIE ~
ReplyDeleteGreat story!
And I'd bet you ten bucks (the same ten bucks you added to the check you wrote for him) that the guy considered himself, politically, a Conservative:
[Link> Whatever You May Think of Republicans, Don't Call Them 'Stingy'
Me? I am neither a "Republican" nor a "Conservative". I disavowed both of those labels in 1994 (in the month of April, to be even more specific). At that time, I became a "Constitutionalist"... and also a true (i.e., a "Maverick") Christian.
And I've actually learned a whole lot more since April of 1994.
For one thing, "Common Knowledge" is almost ALWAYS wrong.
And another (in that same vein) is this:
"Mainstream religion, mainstream politics, mainstream medicine, mainstream news sources, mainstream entertainment, mainstream science, and mainstream history are not only vastly more wrong than correct, but that they are usually DELIBERATELY wrong!! That is to say, they are *consciously* designed to disseminate DISINFORMATION to the mASSES.
I never, ever ask anyone to believe me. I only ask them to conduct their own, independent, objective, and open-minded research, and come to their own "INTELLECTUALLY HONEST" conclusions. And, unfortunately, that's not easy for the majority of human beings, who have been conditioned to accept and root for various meaningless labels (aka "teams"), which they have, over time, self-applied. It's just too much work for most folks to really root out the truth and be willing to "go back to the drawing board" and start over again. Plus, it bruises the ego. And the ego really hates that. (I know, because I've deeply bruised my own ego several times in the process of panning for gold... or, truth.)
BONUS MATERIAL:
The majority of people in the world look at most questions with an 'EITHER / OR' mindset: the answer, they assume, is EITHER *THIS* OR *THAT*.
But I have found that in most cases, the true answer to a question is: *BOTH!!*
In other words, sometimes the true answer is *This*, AND in other instances, the true answer is *That". Which is to say, "situations alter cases".
An exceptionally good example is homosexuality. Most liberals say it is a born trait in certain individuals. While most conservatives say it is a lifestyle choice that can be changed.
My personal interactions with many homosexuals over many decades (including about 7 or 8 years of working in the Hollywood film industry, where I got to discuss the subject with many of them), led me to believe that it is *NOT* an 'EITHER / OR' scenario. For some, it is indeed a conscious lifestyle choice. And yet others definitely were born predisposed toward homosexuality. So the real answer is "BOTH"! Sometimes a lifestyle choice (which is usually a form of rebellion), and other times something innate at birth.
I hope you have a terrific day, 'LOVE, JANIE'.
~ D-FensDogG
STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS
I don't think that many situations are either/or.
DeleteGood things really do happen to good people. I hope the Universe blesses that man for his generosity and kindness, and I'm really glad he was there for you.
ReplyDeleteI can't think of any instances where anything similar has happened to me. I'm usually on the other side... the one who bails somebody else out, so to speak. Some of my friends say I'm a sucker and an easy mark, but that's okay. I'd rather help when it isn't really needed than risk not helping when it is.
I usually bail out people in trouble, too, but what goes around comes around. It was my turn to need help.
DeleteI love this! I seem to be arguing with the same few people that good people do still exist. Others seem to think that acts of kindness only happen when something is wanted on the other end.
ReplyDeleteI'm convinced that many good people exist and that most people behave generously to help someone else, not to make themselves look important.
DeleteReinforces why I believe in miracles. That man put stars in his crown.
ReplyDeleteMiracles happen around us everyday.
DeleteThere are some kind people around who pop up when you least expect it
ReplyDeleteExactly right.
DeleteWonderful story. I'm sure you renewed his faith, too, when you paid him back with interest.
ReplyDeleteDidn't seen to need to have his faith renewed. It was already there.
DeleteSweets, you just warmed my heart. By sharing that story, you're paying it forward and inspiring. We need these moments of kindness. A man at the grocery store let me go in front of him, when he realized he'd forgotten an item. A simple gesture. One I'd have done. But he was so kind and nonchalant about it, and I had a lot more groceries then him, and life has been so brutal as of late - I told him and the cashier he made my day. $50 though - just wow. I'm glad he was there for you, and you more than paid him back.
ReplyDeleteLove.
The world is filled with all sorts of people and even the worst among us sometimes have a talent or can be generous in some way.
DeleteThe bad news gets way more attention. I know people can be awful but they can be nice, too, as evidenced by that gentleman.
ReplyDeleteToo many people enjoy bad news.
DeleteI just love this story.
ReplyDeleteYOU have a great Sunday.
No, YOU have a great Sunday.
DeleteHI Janie...
ReplyDeleteI call those wonderful people EARTHLY ANGELS> When I first started my blog, I would feature an EA post once a week. Sadly, I could only mange one a month and then my well went dry. But this week I had the pleasure of meeting an EA and posted a new EA story at my blog. It seems we BOTH had wonderful EA experiences this week. My these angels come forward more often! Thanks for sharing!
That must have been a nice feature, but it can be difficult to sustain something like that. Franklin can't even write a post every Friday.
DeleteThat is a great story! My luck, the mailman would deliver to wrong address and the nice man would think I had stiffed him! But then, you don't want to know how things go in my life! Hey! I sent you an email, wonder if you got that? Maybe it went to your Spam?
ReplyDeleteI received your email and responded to it. I hope you got the response. I know the gentleman got my check because he cashed it.
DeleteI'm speechless, Janie. Kind folks are still among us after all. How about that... And I think you did the right thing, too.
ReplyDeleteBlue
We think no one will help us but the few still exist, my dear Blue.
DeleteWow! What an awesome human being. I'm so glad he was there to help you in your time of need!
ReplyDeleteI'm still overcome with gratitude.
DeleteSuch an amazing human being !!! Wish we can find such people more around us who has helping heart. Thank you so much for the lovely story Janie and reminding us, such people still exist. He has such a compassionate heart. Appreciate the act of kindness!! Janie, you have a heart of gratitude ……sweet of you. Have a great and blessed week !!! Many Blessings Find the latest http://www.bloghasting.com wedding photographs.
ReplyDeleteAnd blessings to you.
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Send me his name, my mortgage is due :)
ReplyDeleteVery funny when you compare your situations to a dog’s face. I lost the check and they would not accept card and my friend paid the fees. I was a bit tensed and I look like a grumpy dog.
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