Help a child for less than 50 cents. I feel like Sally Struthers.

Dropped my son off at Boy Scouts. Was headed home and popped into the corner convienence store for a soda. Got my fountain drink and was in line to pay. A lady customer opens the door and stands there kinda frustrated. She asked the clerk if she could get a courtesy cup of water because her daughter was in the care and "burning up". Clerk said "Sure", and the lady headed to the fountain.

I was still in line and I saw the lady get that little thin cup. You know, the one you can almost see thru, that collapses in your hand when you try to hold. The store will sell just a styrofoam cup of ice. They have 3 sizes. 25, 35 and 45 cents for the big boy cup. I was still waiting in line, so I called to the lady and told her to get the big cup and lots of ice so she could cool her daughter down. Told her I would pay for the cup. She was very appreciative and thanked me out loud several times.

I was last in line and was at the register now. The lady stopped by my side, and place her drink on the counter. She had the medium cup and you could see soda inside. The clerk looked at me and I winked and said no problem. The lady patted me on the shoulder and thanked me a couple more times. Told her she was very welcome. There was a moment of silence and thought we were done. She says to me, "This is going to look like I have money, but this is my rent money", and she reaches into her bra and pulls out a roll of bills. I smiled and said, "I understand. Gotta pay the bills". thinking to myself that she didn't need to show me her money. No sweat.

Another pause in the chat and I was sure we were done. My transaction was complete and ready to leave. Still at my side, she peels off a $20, looks at the clerk and says "Pack of Newport 100's". The nice lady got her cigs and change and headed out the door. The clerk and I looked at each other and smile. I was grinning so big, it made my face hurt. People are so funny. I could not stop giggling.

In her defense, the store door opened and a little girl came in, looked at me and said "Thank you for my drink!". I told her she was very welcome. Gave her a knuckle bump and away she went. I couldn't wait to call me wife and tell her the story.

That's great Dayton. I gave a feller this past winter some cash. He gave me a story a mile long. Didn't matter. People in my past have helped so much that I'll never be able to pay it forward.

I feel like a camera crew could follow you around and have a pretty good comedy show

Had an old guy around town here that would beg for money all the time. He really did have a hard luck story so people didn't mind giving him money and neither did I. Gave him a couple bucks one day when he came up and told me how his wife was sick and he needed help with buying her medicine. We were at a gas station. I went in and got a couple hot dogs and went back to eat them in my truck then watched the needy fellow go into the store after hitting someone else up and came out with a 40 oz beer and a hand full of lottery tickets! Never give him another dime. I will give someone the shirt off my back to help them but, they better really need it.CF

Yea, buying lottery tickets with sob story money is not cool at all. What a jack-wagon.

How tall is Sally Struthers? :biggrin

short

Had an ole guy walk into the police station asking for help. They gave him all the info on welfare, food stamps, etc...and where to go. After inquiring about how the ole man was doing a week later, they found out the ole man owned 200 acres in Tennessee. He wouldn't sell it because it had been in his family for so long...