Saturday, February 21, 2009

Saturday 2/21/09

A Whole New Meaning to "Pay it Forward"

On Wednesday last week as I was headed out from the office to get a bite of lunch, I looked in my wallet and realized I didn't have enough money to get a whole lot to eat, so I proceeded to run to the nearby branch of my bank to the ATM. Then, I couldn't think of anything that sounded like something I really wanted at that time, so I decided to go to Burger King to get a grilled chicken sandwich (only 5 points on Weight Watchers) and a diet Coke to go with it. Oh, how I wanted those fries to go along with it. I am a huge fan of french fries and I'm not kidding!! :) The line was rather long and by this time it was 12:30 and I really needed to be back at the office by 12:55 in order to get ready for my next patient.

While I was moving slowly up to the window to pay my $5.95 tab, I couldn't help but notice that in front of me there was a little yellow VW with a young woman driving. I actually noticed she had on ear rings so I guess she was a woman. She looked to be by herself. As I pressed on up to the window to pay, the girl who had taken my order and given me my total looked at me and she just had the biggest grin as she said "I have a message for you." My first thought was "how could she have a a message for me since she (a) doesn't even know me and (b) no one even knows I'm here and (c) if someone wanted to give me a message, I have a cell # which all my friends, family, and co-workers know and wouldn't hesitate to use . I know I must have looked shocked as I said very timidly "a message?" She said "yes, the lady in front of you has paid for your meal!" I was at a loss for words. I know I started blabbering about having heard of this before and I know that people do this type of thing, but since it had never happened to me, it was still just a string of words that had no meaning. I said finally, "oh my goodness!! What do I do?? I was so excited that someone would do this for me--someone I hadn't met and probably never will. The nice girl at the window replied "just pull forward and get your meal is all you need to do." She said it just like it happened every day. She seemed just as happy about it as I did. It was one of the best BK lunches I had eaten in a while just because someone had the kindness and the desire to buy my lunch. I was reminded of the Good Samaritan who took care of the wounded man by the road. I admit I wasn't "needing" help or anything akin to that, but just the thought warmed my heart. Now I can tell people who ask about "paying it forward" that "yes, I am well acquainted with the concept and it happened to me on day in February at the Burger King on Chapman Highway in Knoxville. I'm living proof that sometimes good things unexpectedly happen!!! I hope that someone will do something extra special for that young girl who bought my lunch and you can bet I will do my part to "pay it forward" for someone very soon!

Til the next time



"My Lord is more ready to pardon than you to sin, more able to forgive than you to transgress." � Charles Spurgeon



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