Stories of Kindness from Around the World

This morning there was a young man roaming the campus. He comes from one of the half-way drug rehab/mental illness houses on the surrounding streets. He's quiet, polite, and I think very lonely, and bored. I saw him earlier standing at the soda vending machines, jiggling change in his pockets. It appeared he didn't have enough money for a soda at $1.50. I returned from the adjacent building and he was bending down and looking for dropped change under the vending machines. Nothing to be found. I asked him how much money he needed and he replied "just 2 quarters". I reached into my pocket and magically, I had 2 lonely little quarters in my pocket. Gave it to him and he got his Dr. Pepper and flashed me the biggest smile. I asked him what he was going to eat for lunch. He said they have food back at the house, but usually just noodles or a sandwich that he didn't like. I took him back to my office and gave him several Pizza Hut coupons, one for a free personal size pan pizza.

I've been saving pennies and small change now for several years in a can at the office. I'm sure there was a nice amount of change in the can. I gave him the can and told him to take it to Weis Market and use the Coin Star and cash it in. Told him to make sure he returned my can because it had cats on it. Well, just 10 min. ago he brought me the can back and handed me $30.00 and some change. This was the contents of the can. He didn't understand that the money was for him and thought I just wanted him to do me a favor and cash in the change for me. My heart skipped a thousand beats. Can you imagine? My act of kindness to him bounced back on me.


We had a nice conversation about animals, science, food, etc. and then I handed him the $30.00 and change. Told him that I wanted him to keep the money and just return the can. He asked me why I was doing this for him. I replied "You have a need and I'm happy that I can help. Now, go get yourself a pizza and soda and pay it forward". After explaining the pay-it-forward concept to him, he understood. Upon his exit, I handed him a free Psychology book just in case he wanted to know more about the science of the mind.

Isn't it amazing what "just 2 quarters" can do? Made this young man happy, made me cry happy tears, and left him know that people care about him.

Going to go clean up my raccoon eyes now!