28 Cents

It was over 28 cents. I stood in line at the gas station when a lady stepped in front of me. Just like that. She didn't even pretend to notice I was there. Me and my Flaming Hot Cheetos were miffed, but we remained silent. When she approached the cashier, she reached into her tattered purse and pulled out a gift card and tossed it on the counter. She pulled a crumpled one dollar bill and started counting pennies in her hand. With a thick accent, the cashier told her no. No, he wouldn't take the remaining 28 cents from the gift card and put it toward her gas purchase. In an instant, the cashier and the lady were yelling back and forth and swearing so much George Carlin would've blushed.

By the time the argument reached it's pinnacle, my Cheetos were scared. The lady yelled once more and stormed out. The cashier beckoned for me to pay for my snacks and acted like nothing happened. Then she reappeared…with her gift card. In a desperate voice, she yelled, Gimme my gas! It was then when I realized this lady was desperate for her 28 cents.

Before things got out of control, I jumped in. I told the cashier I'd be paying an extra $10 on my tab and to please place this amount at her gas pump. Then it was silent. Where anger and desperation once stomped, confusion floated in. I told her not to worry…to simply pay it forward…to enjoy the day.

As JD and I pulled away from the gas station, she waved and shouted, God bless you! I smiled and waved, my fingers stained red from the Cheetos.

I'm not writing this story for any other reason than to simply remind me…remind me that time's are tough…remind me that anger hides fear…remind me that we can all make someone's day a little better. If I'm being totally honest, I wasn't going to help this lady (afterall, she cut in line and ignored me), but I've let far too many of these types of situations pass me by. It's times like this that make me realize there's hope. Empowering people to pay it forward fosters kindness and gives a brighter sense of hope.