Not 5 but 2

We stopped at a gas station to grab a quick bite as I didn’t have anything to eat back at the shack. We got some buns and saw this great deal, 3 chocolates for the price of 2 and a ½ - that’s 2 and half bucks. Great! I got busy selecting which ones I wanted. I liked more than 3.

While busy selecting my morning cheap snack up came an old man to the counter. He handed the cashier 5 bucks and mumbled something to her – sounded like he said 6. But he handed her 5 bucks I thought to myself. He clarified himself. Pump 6, 2 bucks fuel.

I froze up for a moment. I wanted to do something but I didn’t know what. With hindsight I could offer him a full tank of gas but he could have gotten insulted. I could have asked the cashier to make sure he got a full tank (I’d pay) after he left. But I didn’t do anything. I could have made a difference but I didn’t. I watched. Just watched.

Now imagine this: take a measly 5 bucks to buy something and ask for change. What could you buy? Not much. Even my buns and chocs were going to cost more than 5 bucks.

The fact that someone needed 3 bucks back from a 5 shows how valuable that 3 bucks was to him. Maybe that was lunch. Maybe dinner. Possibly both. Maybe for two.

I wish this kind of thing didn’t happen but it does. I hope the next time I see it, I’ll be able to react.

Maybe I can make a difference.

Maybe you can too.