My Gas Station Story

--by kamitchell1, posted Dec 25, 2014

One rainy evening I went to fill up at the gas station. A pre-teen boy approached my car with a thick hoodie pulled around his face. He asked me for money to help him and his mother stay in their hotel for an additional week.

He stated that if they did not come up with $25 they would be evicted that same evening. Having worked in social services before, and being a little skeptical, I asked how come his mother hadn't sought out social services for assistance. The boy said that they needed to remain in their hotel for one more week until his grandmother, who lived out of town, could take them in.

I gave the boy what I had - $5. He thanked me and continued to wander the parking lot asking for help. I got my gas and drove away. A separate time some weeks before, a boy asked me for money and I told him I didn't have any though I did. The skeptic in me had won out.

Yet, I thought about it, felt ashamed at my skepticism and went looking for the boy to give him a dollar. But it seemed that he had disappeared into thin air. "This time," I thought, "I'll do it differently."

I went to my bank and withdrew an additional $20, then I returned to the gas station. The boy was still there. I observed him momentarily, shyly approaching strangers who walked past him without notice. I pulled up beside a pump and waved at the boy to come over. I handed him the $20 bill.

He reached through my car window and gave me a huge hug. His hug told me all I needed to know - that finally this kid could get out of the rain, the cold and the darkening skies and go inside where it was warm.

9836 Reads

Posted by kamitchell1
Dec 25, 2014
Comments (20)

Readers Comments

ljheath517 wrote: Beautiful!

Lotika wrote: I'm glad you followed your heart.

belle wrote: Always give. If you get taken, so what. But, with giving, you could change a life forever!

Discovering Myself wrote: I want to be like you

JyotiB wrote: Thanks for sending him to the indoor warmth sooner

Ak47 wrote: Such a wonderful act of love! Thank you for sharing.

backroads2 wrote: What a beautiful story. You are an amazing person.

Lucky wrote: That is inspiring!

Ak47 wrote: You are just so amazing! Loved reading about your act of love.

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