I was at a Verizon
store waiting, when a woman came in to pay her mother’s bill. It was about 186
dollars. The clerk told her she needed three more dollars, because they charged
a fee to process the order. The woman told her she had no extra money and couldn't
pay it. Then she called her mother. Though the conversation was one-sided on
this end, it appeared they were both afraid to let the bill go, to the next
month, because the mother would then owe double. And at this time of year, she
would likely need the money for something else. The clerk was adamant that
unless that extra three bucks was paid, she couldn’t do the transaction. I had been sitting there, patiently waiting my turn, listening to the conversation… and
decided to help. I reached into my
change purse and removed three ones. I got up, went to the counter and laid the
three singles... there in front of both of them.The clerk’s jaw dropped.The woman who needed the money was
shocked… her eyes flew open wide, and she told her mom on the cell phone, that
a stranger had just paid the fee. When she hung
up, she gave me a big hug with tears in her eyes and told me to have a wonderful
holiday. I wished her the same and went back to my chair waiting for the clerk
to finish. As she was leaving, the woman thanked me again and I said, “you’re welcome.” When she
left the store… the Verizon clerk came over to wait on me, and said ,”You know
you didn’t have to do that.” I told her that I believe in kindness and paying
it forward. And while three dollars isn’t a big deal, to the woman who needed
it,… it made a difference. And she supposed I was right. The clerk then dealt with my phone problem and
told me she had to go in the back to finish up our business. When she returned, she gave me… one of those cordless chargers
for my phone. I told her I didn’t have enough to pay for it and she said, ”I’m
paying it forward. You did something
nice, now I am. It’s yours... free of charge.” I was speechless. Thanking
her, I too left the building. Though I must admit, while driving home in my car, I wondered why the clerk just hadn’t waived
the fee to begin with? Then she wouldn’t have felt obligated to give me the cordless charger which was over fifty dollars. Or... maybe I was being too cynical. Perhaps there was a lesson learned by all of us that day. That a kind
gesture is the glue that binds us all together. And none of us should take it for granted.
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