The Unexpected Giver

In Miami very few places have free parking. Some places have modern money eating machines that take debit cards when you need to pay for parking, but in some parts of the city we still have old parking meters that only take coins. So I decided I go get some stuff that I needed for the house at a local Ross and realized when I got there that I had no change for the meter. I searched and searched but the only change I could find where penies and of course the machine didnt take those. So I decided I was going to take a chance and go shopping without feeding the money eating machine anyways since I was already there.

A couple weeks before I happend to stop to shop for some shoes at the same store and had enough money then. So after paying for my parking, I caught the meter cop getting ready to ticket a car. I ran to the meter and fed it two quarters and he was not able to write the ticket. I never thought much of it but I hated the thought of seeing someone coming to their car and finding a $13 fine in their windshield, and it ruining there wonderful shopping experience.

So today, as I am walking towards the entrance of the store I saw the same bum in a wheelchair that I had seen a couple weeks back, asking me for money. That day I completely ignored him and kept on walking. But this time when the man saw me coming he immediately called out to me and said "hey lady, would you please spare some chain to this old man," and without thinking I said to him "no sir I cant do that today but it would be nice if you could lend me 50cents so that I can feed my parking meter!". To my surprise the bum in the wheelchair, without hesitation said "but of course I could lend you some coins" he put his hands in the pocket of his dirty, blue pants and pulled out one quarter, two dimes and one nickle of what could have been no more than a dollar in change. I could not believe my eyes.

This man who did not know me, who was begging for money himself and without hesitation was willing to help me out. He did not igonore me when I said I needed some money,He did not ask if I would pay him back. All he did was give to someone in need without expecting a thing in return.

This experience thought me a lesson on humbleness, A lesson in giving, never to judge someone by their looks and a lesson in trusting that if you do good unto others without expecting anything in return, God will always watch your back. ;)