About 20 minutes into breakfast I noticed a couple walk in, and they just had a look about them that said "down on their luck" not to be confused with "havent taken a bath". Soon after they sat down, the guy struck up a conversation with me about the hat I was wearing (my South Carolina Gamecocks hat) and asked if I was from SC. I told them my family lives down there and had just been down there to visit. I listened as they ordered a breakfast they could split. They BOTH looked like they could use a good meal! We talked off and on for another 10 minutes before I had to return with the car. As the waitress brought me my slip (still the old hand-written type!) I took my slip and met her at the register. I asked her if she had written up their order yet, and she had just placed it with the cook. I told her to go make them EACH that meal, and that I was going to pay for it for them. She asked why, and I asked her if she had ever seen the movie "Pay it Forward" and she had...so I told her that they were one of my three random acts of kindness to strangers. I then paid for their meals and mine, and asked her to write on their slip "Merry Christmas to you both. Your meals are on me. From the guy in the SC hat. Pay It Forward". The waitress I thought was going to cry. She said they come in about once a month when they can split a breakfast - its their treat to each other. He lost his job a few months ago and was doing odd jobs to get by.
GIVING -- it makes us all better people. I felt so good about what I had done - so I spent $10 on
breakfast - doesnt sound like much - but its how I felt after I did that that means the world to me. I am not rich, and I am not putting $100 bills in people pockets. It was a random act of kindness - a Pay It Forward act...I hope someday to get back to Olney!
J-Dawg
