A Christmas Story. Today.
Miz t. and I went grocery shopping this morning and made a stop at the liquor store down the street.
On the way out of the grocery parking lot we encountered a grizzled old guy at the stop sign. He had a bicycle with a few possessions strapped to it. He held a hand lettered sign on a scrap of cardboard "HOMELESS. PLEASE GIVE ANYTHING. FOOD, JOB, MONEY. ANYTHING YOU CAN SPARE. THANK YOU."
Miz t. said "My purse is in the trunk with the groceries."
I only had a twenty in my wallet.
There were cars behind us, waiting to get on the street, so we pressed on.
And cynical old me said "Ah, I think he's a regular. I think I've seen him there before. He's probably found a sweet spot."
And my dear, sweet Miz t. said "I don't care. It's Christmas. After the liquor store I'm going back and give him three bucks. He can at least get a burger or something."
I think I rolled my eyes.
And then she told me about a program she'd heard on NPR about the desperation of our (rich) nation's homeless and how hard it is to climb out of that hole once you're there and I began to feel like the world's worst Scrooge and so I said "Pull into that Arby's. You give him the money, I'll buy him a meal."
And so we did.
Roast beef sandwich, fries, drink.
YAY!
But that's not all.
Here's the rest of the story.
After we gave our order there were two cars in line ahead of us.
The first car was taking FOREVER.
I began to complain.
"Jeez, if I'd known a small act of kindness would take the rest of my life I wouldn't have bothered."
(I tend to exagerate.)
MIz t. counseled 'patience'.
Eventually we got to the window and the young woman said "The car in front of you paid your tab. The car in front of them paid their tab (the slowpoke) and they paid yours. Merry Christmas."
Well blow me down.
We told her that the meal 'paid forward' was going to a homeless guy.
And I swear I did not make this up.
trof
= new reply since forum marked as read
I like how you and Miz t got it done too. 
I never understood how the person in the car ahead, can offer to pay the tab for the car behind them. Nobody knows yet what those people are ordering or how much it will cost. How does the restaurant handle that?
They can't swipe the first guy's card a 2nd time, can they? Or if they do, does the guy have to stay behind and wait for the total on the next car's order? It kind of takes away from the idea of fast food, doesn't it?
