Stories of Kindness from Around the World

I am a New Yorker, born, raised and residing.  We know how much money beggers make a day.  One begger can get about a dollar per 20 people who pass, either in the form of a dollar or in change from several people.  In New York, you can easily get a minimum of 500 people within a 2 hour period passing you.  That is basically 40 dollars every 2 hours.  The number rises if you're in front of a restaurant , a really busy street, or in the subway. Do the math and you can see beggers make more money begging in a day than some people with jobs.

I never give money to people -- never.  But last night around 3 am,  I stopped at a Mc Donalds in Harlem to use the bathroom.  I saw him in the door waiting for me to head over to him so he could open the door for me and ask for change.  I was mad already.  "Why can't I go to the restroom without him asking me for money!" I thought.

I have no problem saying "No" to people who beg for money.  I guess being a New Yorker we are used to it.  But, as I approached him and he held open the door I looked into his eyes and something touched me.  When he asked for change I reached in my pocket but only a nickle and dime was there. I gave it to him.

Sitting in the bathroom I looked through my wallet and found some change -- about 3 quarters, 2 nickles and some pennies.  I was going to just give him the nickles and pennies.  It is hard for me to part with quarters and I battled myself over the change. 

My dialogue in my head went something like this... You don't know what he will do with the money.  But, I really think he is cold and wants something to keep him warm.  Yeah, a warm piece of crack!  But, it is only change, it will come back to you just let him have the quarters!

I am not sure why quarters are so hard for me to give up.  Mentally, I struggled over the Change.

Finally I walked out of the bathroom, Change in hand, and as I went through the door that he held open for me I dropped all the Change in his palm.

I rushed to my truck and wanted to get home because I was so tired.  When I got back in the truck, my fiancee asked, "So you gave him some change?"  "Yes," I said, "just a little change.  He was telling me he wanted to get something to eat."

As we pulled away I watched the man counting the change in his palm and smiling.  I may not know if he was really hungry or not but I know that either way I won the Battle over the Change.  Giving to others always makes you the winner.