Buy a coffee for someone

[TDogg80]

Last year I was standing in line at Walmart. Ahead of me was an elderly couple buying a few groceries. The cashier rang everything through, including a dress the lady wanted. The total came out to about $70. The obviously loving husband turned to his wife and said "I'm sorry sweetie, we have $50 for groceries. We have to put the dress back."

I could tell she was disappointed but understood. The cashier started ringing my stuff through and I asked how much the dress was and was told it was $15. I told her to ring it through and I'll pay for it. I wanted her to do it quickly as the couple was gathering up their bags and starting to go. The cashier looked at me like I was crazy, which I thought was odd. When I stopped the couple to give the wife the dress she couldn't believe it. Her eyes swelled with tears and she just didn't know what to say. She invited me and my wife for dinner and gave me a hug. She was so grateful that someone would still do something just out of kindness nowadays. Her husband thanked me and shook my hand.

When I think back on this it still makes me tear up. I have done things like this since I was a kid. I knew there were always going to be people that could use a little bit of sunshine in their lives. I have never looked for anything in return. The memory and feeling I get when I think back on an occasion like that is priceless.

Pass it on.

[V-Rated]

Well isn't this ironic...

Yesterday I wrote how nobody has ever bought me a coffee at the drive through and today I showed up to work and there was a Tim Hortons coffee a co-worker bought for me sitting on my desk this morning!!!.

:sunshine:

[jimsenchuk]

Last year I was standing in line at Walmart. Ahead of me was an elderly couple buying a few groceries. The cashier rang everything through, including a dress the lady wanted. The total came out to about $70. The obviously loving husband turned to his wife and said "I'm sorry sweetie, we have $50 for groceries. We have to put the dress back."

I could tell she was disappointed but understood. The cashier started ringing my stuff through and I asked how much the dress was and was told it was $15. I told her to ring it through and I'll pay for it. I wanted her to do it quickly as the couple was gathering up their bags and starting to go. The cashier looked at me like I was crazy, which I thought was odd. When I stopped the couple to give the wife the dress she couldn't believe it. Her eyes swelled with tears and she just didn't know what to say. She invited me and my wife for dinner and gave me a hug. She was so grateful that someone would still do something just out of kindness nowadays. Her husband thanked me and shook my hand.

When I think back on this it still makes me tear up. I have done things like this since I was a kid. I knew there were always going to be people that could use a little bit of sunshine in their lives. I have never looked for anything in return. The memory and feeling I get when I think back on an occasion like that is priceless.

Pass it on.

Wonderful story. :rate10: Thank you for sharing that. :)

I remember as a kid, this hobo came knocking on the door, my dad answered the door and invited him in, as he and my dad were talking, it came out he was a veteran of WWII and really never recovered from it. The man had dinner with us, and he was so thankful, that he teared up. My mom then made him quite a few sandwiches and he went on his way, and dad gave him 20 dollars.(alot of money in the 60's)
My dad told me that it was the least we could do for this man, as my dad was in that situation after he got out of army, and someone helped him when he was down. My dad had tears in his eyes because of what happened to this man. That day is when i learned to GIVE, and help out others, and through out my life i have helped alot of people, as have my brothers and sisters. I was 10 years old at the time, and i thank my dad for that lesson in life.

[gambler]

What an uplifting thread! I get tears in my eyes just reading your stories. V-Rated's comments on never being on the receiving end got me thinking if I'd ever received something for nothing and reminded me of one of the strangest things that's happened to me. (Hope I'm not veering too far off topic Jim.)

Quite a few years ago, I was in Vancouver for a week with my young (3-5 years old) children. We were staying at a fancy hotel across from the Vancouver Library. One morning as I was taking my kids for breakfast at McDonald's, we had to navigate around 3 or 4 homeless people with their grocery carts hanging around outside. One man, about 60 years old, caused me to have a second look as he had beautiful, long grey hair. I recall making eye contact with him. Anyhow, we shuffled past their carts and went into McDonald's where the three of us shared an order of pancakes (I had plenty of money to buy more, it's just young kids don't eat much). A few minutes later, the homeless man bought a coffee at the counter and then came back to our table. He took my wrist in one hand and tried to give me something he had concealed in his other hand. I was spooked but opened my hand. When I looked down, I realized he had wrapped some money in a piece of paper and given it to me. Stunned and more than a little embarrassed, I said "No, no, I don't need this! Please take it back." He replied it was for the children and left the restaurant. I sat there red faced while the other customers stared at us. I went to the cashier and asked if she knew who he was. She replied she had seen him here numerous times but had never seen him give anyone money. It turns out he had given me 2 $20 bills for my kids.

Now I have to say I did have my old embroidered hippy shirt on that day so probably fit right in with the crowd. I'd bought the used shirt for a 60's fundraiser dance and just wore it all the time cause it was so comfortable.

So I learned 2 things that day.
There is good in everyone. Sometimes it just doesn't show on the surface. That buggy pushing, garbage collecting, homeless man, for whatever reason, felt my kids and I needed that money more than him. And I believe his heart felt good sharing.

But I also learned that I probably shouldn't wear my old hippy shirt out in public. I certainly wasn't poor and needy but the image I portrayed was giving that impression. For the next couple days, we kept an eye out for that man so that we could at the very least, properly thank him. Unfortunately, we never saw him again, but he still makes me smile whenever I think of him. Somewhere, there is a happy, homeless man who gave something of himself just for my kids. I hope he's doing well.

[Roadster]

I gotta git me a hippy shirt :dyinglaughing:

Just kidding, good story. :D

[jimsenchuk]

What an uplifting thread! I get tears in my eyes just reading your stories. V-Rated's comments on never being on the receiving end got me thinking if I'd ever received something for nothing and reminded me of one of the strangest things that's happened to me. (Hope I'm not veering too far off topic Jim.)

Quite a few years ago, I was in Vancouver for a week with my young (3-5 years old) children. We were staying at a fancy hotel across from the Vancouver Library. One morning as I was taking my kids for breakfast at McDonald's, we had to navigate around 3 or 4 homeless people with their grocery carts hanging around outside. One man, about 60 years old, caused me to have a second look as he had beautiful, long grey hair. I recall making eye contact with him. Anyhow, we shuffled past their carts and went into McDonald's where the three of us shared an order of pancakes (I had plenty of money to buy more, it's just young kids don't eat much). A few minutes later, the homeless man bought a coffee at the counter and then came back to our table. He took my wrist in one hand and tried to give me something he had concealed in his other hand. I was spooked but opened my hand. When I looked down, I realized he had wrapped some money in a piece of paper and given it to me. Stunned and more than a little embarrassed, I said "No, no, I don't need this! Please take it back." He replied it was for the children and left the restaurant. I sat there red faced while the other customers stared at us. I went to the cashier and asked if she knew who he was. She replied she had seen him here numerous times but had never seen him give anyone money. It turns out he had given me 2 $20 bills for my kids.

Now I have to say I did have my old embroidered hippy shirt on that day so probably fit right in with the crowd. I'd bought the used shirt for a 60's fundraiser dance and just wore it all the time cause it was so comfortable.

So I learned 2 things that day.
There is good in everyone. Sometimes it just doesn't show on the surface. That buggy pushing, garbage collecting, homeless man, for whatever reason, felt my kids and I needed that money more than him. And I believe his heart felt good sharing.

But I also learned that I probably shouldn't wear my old hippy shirt out in public. I certainly wasn't poor and needy but the image I portrayed was giving that impression. For the next couple days, we kept an eye out for that man so that we could at the very least, properly thank him. Unfortunately, we never saw him again, but he still makes me smile whenever I think of him. Somewhere, there is a happy, homeless man who gave something of himself just for my kids. I hope he's doing well.

Great story gambler, thank you for sharing :) :rate10:

[pattergrub]

I come from a dirt poor single parent family and as a kid was on the recieving end on numerous occasions! I know i would not have had Christmas as a kid, were it not for AMAZING people like you all so a BIG THANK YOU, to you all!!! Now my fiance and i sponsor a family every Christmas and anonomously make it happen for another family in need. Last year we set up a trampoline for a family in the middle of the night on Christmas eve! wish i coulda seen the kids faces in the morning, but one of the most enjoyable things i have ever done!! i have also recieved the cup of coffe once or twice and always pass it on. Anyways i have been super blessed in my career and spent a couple years working in Poza Rica, Mexico. Every day at a specific set of lights there was always a young boy trying to clean my windshield. For the first few days i always just waved him away but gave him some change anyway. Well one day i was grabbing lunch for my crew at the mcd's and sure enough there was that boy bout 13 hanging around outside, i didnt understand hardly a word of spanish at the time but knew he was in need. So i just went inside and picked up two kids meals for the little fella. I tell ya that is probably the greatest feeling i have ever had!! both of us started to tear up and i knew he was saying thank you. So every day i stopped somewhere to grab him lunch and every day he would cry when he saw me... Wish i knew how he was doing today

[pattergrub]

Funnier story - when i first moved to edmonton and first Christmas with the girlfriend (her hometown) we were delivering a HUGE Christmas dinner to a shelter downtown. Being new to the city life, i was following her directions. she is gonna kill me for this but whatever. Just following directions i turned down a one way street at about 7pm Christmas eve!! well as luck would have it there was cop who of course pulled me over and thought i was wasted. explained the situation but still got a ticket!! so it cost us a little over 100 bux to bring someone dinner that night - still worth every penny - and the laughs i enjoy about it anyway LOL

[gambler]

You sound like a happy man Pattergrab! You may have grown up dirt poor but your kindness has made you rich in ways money never could. Thanks for sharing your stories. It's a great way to start the day!

[Roadster]

When I had my store a family in the next town came around asking for donations for a turkey dinner they were putting on for homeless and those with out Christmas dinner. I asked if they needed help too,,, well that was us, closing my store for most of the day and going to wash dishes and drive around collecting people for the dinner. It was fun, we had a great time being involved in this but would you believe people came to my worker the next day in the store and asked why we had closed for most of that day? They were a bit miffed they had to drive into town for their smokes and stuff. I even had a note on my store door saying why we were closed for most of the day. Mind you some appreciated what we did. It was such a huge spread and quite nice to see all them smiling faces when they walked in.
We used to have something similar in Saskatchewan where a community would have a huge dinner in their community halls, different times of the year,,, all come together and put it on inviting the ones with out and then later another would do it. People would drive people from other communities to come and share in these dinners and everybody ate even the supporters. I think sometimes there would be about four turkey dinners in a year, maybe more I didnt even know about in other communities. It didnt have to be once a year which was nice.

[pattergrub]

is it not the most rewarding thing in life to help someone in need?? whether it be a small donation to the food bank or a coffee for the person behind you in line. Nothing has brought me more joy in life!!I KNOW others changed my life as a child. and i truly believe in the do unto others. maybe its because i been there maybe its the way momma raised me i dont know...

[Darlin06]

Funnier story - when i first moved to edmonton and first Christmas with the girlfriend (her hometown) we were delivering a HUGE Christmas dinner to a shelter downtown. Being new to the city life, i was following her directions. she is gonna kill me for this but whatever. Just following directions i turned down a one way street at about 7pm Christmas eve!! well as luck would have it there was cop who of course pulled me over and thought i was wasted. explained the situation but still got a ticket!! so it cost us a little over 100 bux to bring someone dinner that night - still worth every penny - and the laughs i enjoy about it anyway LOL

:dyinglaughing: Yes, it was an amazing feeling to do that...I SO cannot believe you just told all of the Okanagan that story!!! You are in so much trouble when you come home :)

[Roadster]

is it not the most rewarding thing in life to help someone in need?? whether it be a small donation to the food bank or a coffee for the person behind you in line. Nothing has brought me more joy in life!!I KNOW others changed my life as a child. and i truly believe in the do unto others. maybe its because i been there maybe its the way momma raised me i dont know...

It can be but you gotta watch who you help too, some have more then you know and are about to take you for what you got too


BTW, I think yer lady just spotted you and there is a beatin coming right up,,, drive home slowly, think about yer escape routes :dyinglaughing:

[pattergrub]

isnt that the truth Roadster - so many out there just waiting to take advantage eh!!

uhoh :skyisfalling: :runforlife: