The Old Man And A Quarter

--by Aurelia, posted Sep 26, 2008

My sister told me a really inspiring story about what happened to her yesterday. As she was leaving a small grocery store, she was pushing the shopping cart and trying to put the change into her pocket at the same time. She dropped a quarter. Carefully she bent over to grab it before the next person came out pushing a cart into her. To her surprise this elderly man who pushed his cart into her came out slowly and he had another quarter in his hand.

He said, "Here's a quarter you dropped young lady." My sister replied, "Oh I found mine, that must be yours."

"No I think it's yours, I found it on the ground back there," he assured her. "It's not mine, why don't you keep it. I have plenty at home, I collect quarters."

"You do?" my sister asked. "What are you going to do with them?"

"I have over 9,000 quarters and I always DREAMED of driving across the country through the Northern states and then down to California and back to NY. But now I'm too old to drive like that. I think I'll buy a TV now," he explained to her.

"Oh," is all my sister could muster out and the old man started to leave.

Then my sister called out to him, "Hey, wait!" She quickly ran up to him. "Don't give up on your dream of traveling. I know someone who took the train and had a lovely trip and met lots of nice people. Why don't you check it out!"

"Why I never thought of that," the old man said, sounding hopeful of this new idea. "I will definitely think about that and look into it. Thank you for telling me about that."

"Phew," my sister said to me as she finished the story. "I just couldn't see him giving up on his dream and buying a TV! I'm glad I dropped that quarter today and I had the opportunity to meet him."

I am so proud of my sister for taking time to listen and care.

2822 Reads

Posted by Aurelia
Sep 26, 2008
Comments (11)

Readers Comments

BedBug wrote: It's not that i can't think of different things to say, but i keep going back to the same thought: everything happens for a reason. There are no accidents.

You dropped a quarter. An accident? A mishap? I think not. Divine providence. Cool story.

lmil1954 wrote: That's a great story!!! Just goes to show everyTHING happens for a reason, even dropping a quarter. I believe that whole scenario was orchestrated by Amighty God Himself! Thanks Aurelia. Linda:)

theresa wrote: it was very nice of your sister to take the time to talk to the man. when they get older they don't have many people to talk to. what your sister did was more than given the man hopr to see the usa but it might have been the only person he spoke to all day and that is more than anything she could have done.

wayfarer wrote: Hey Jane Ann, your mother and father did well, raising two such wonderful girls.

wayfarer wrote: Me again. That story has really inspired me. Please say thanks to your sister. I was gonna go on a trip to New York. I had it all planned out, but as Rabbie Burns said, "the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft aglay." (No, I'm not translating it!)
Now I just have to look at it a different way, like your sister encouraged the man in the supermarket to do. But we'll get there!

wayfarer wrote: (Although a train across the Atlantic might be a bit damp!)

MakeSomeoneSmile wrote: That is great that your sister offered that suggestion to the man. So many people are quick to snuff out or criticize our dreams. It is a precious few like your sister who try to help us find ways to make them come true!

PayingForward wrote: Cool encounter. I think your sister was right where she was supposed to be at that moment. Bless her heart for taking the time to listen ... learning about this man's dream ... and encouraging him to not give up on it.

brighteyes wrote: G.G: I LOVED YOUR STORY ...WELL YOUR SISTER'S STORY....PLEASE GIVE HER AN EXTRA HUG FOR ME!

Stories of Kindness from Around the World