This isn't really humorus, but interesting. Today I was comming home from the Bank, and I pulled into the entrance to my apartment complex, and I saw a 1978 chevy station wagon, with a middle aged black man holding a gas can. I stopped and said "You need some help". (For all of those reading this who don't know me, I am a 20 year old white college student).
He said in a worn out voice, "yeah i need a favor, a double favor actually, my car ran out of gas, i am on my way to cash my check, and i just need to fill up this gallon can, and bum a few bucks to add some more gas once i get it started so i can get to the bank. so can you drive me to the nearest gas station and loan me a couple bucks?" Without hesitation, i said "sure, hop in". Now, you may think im crazy for not assuming this guy was going to rob me. But i thought the guy looked pretty honest, i mean hell, he even had a gas can.
The first thing i asked him was "how long you been waiting on someone?" (mind you, it was 35 degrees out, and we live in the middle of a city). He said "about 30 minutes". His answer made me appauled at society. I couldnt believe that nobody had helped him, he even complained that people were honking while he pushed his station wagon out of the intersection, nobody even bothered to help him do that. I thought 'What is wrong with society? Have none of these people ever been in a sticky situation before? have they never needed help?' then i said " Next week you will probably have to pick me up on the side of the road. I wonder why nobody helps people anymore?"
He said "I don't know, he said, I know i look scary and probably smell bad from work, but I'm a 42 year old black guy who works every day of the week, i don't have time to hustle people." This comment made me laugh. and made me think of how afraid we are and how sterotypical we can be as a society.
To make a short story even shorter, I guess the point of this is to inform people that they need to get off their damn cell phones, get out of their car, and help people. One day it will be you who is stuck in the road like my friend; tired,cold, broke, and out of gas.
After I gave him a couple of bucks, i shook his hand. I didn't ask him his name, but i didn't need to, because I don't expect him to ever return the favor, but hopefully someone else will. And just like in the movie "pay it forward" our little deeds will continue to be linear, therefore, never complete.
Next time you see someone in trouble, don't be stupid, but be helpful as you can without putting yourself in danger. Most of the world is just like you, hard working, and honest. Not everyone is a hustler, not everyone has a cell phone, not everyone has AAA and sometimes, not everyone has enough gas to get home. So go pay it forward. you''ll feel good, and you have someone help you one day.
