Has a stranger ever paid for you food in a drive thru?

[hepcat]

I bought a tank of gas for a teenage couple. Girl was pregnant, guy said he was totally out of money, driving some old beat up car that was almost out of gas. So I filled it up for him.

Nothing has ever happened to me on the flip side and I don't want it to. I only like things like that if I need it, and likewise I only like helping people who need it.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

Ultimately it's hard to say something bad about these acts of kindness, but the cynic in me wishes people would just donate that money to people who are actually starving instead of those who are already able to pay for fast food.

[Chaos]

Ultimately it's hard to say something bad about these acts of kindness, but the cynic in me wishes people would just donate that money to people who are actually starving instead of those who are already able to pay for fast food.

I completely know where you are coming from. I certainly didn't go into detail on what I do as far as true charitable contributions. But felt this thread was about small acts of kindness towards others in our community. If it pays forward, then I consider it a small step towards spreading kindness where lately, it seems like we've forgotten how to be kind.

Just the surprised reaction someone has when someone does something kind shows how much we've lost it. I was in NYC a few weeks ago on business, and needed to pick up a few items from a nearby grocery store in Jersey. I was a little wary of the place, but walked over to get what I needed. The lady in front of me paid for her groceries, and left but forgot one of her bags. I told the cashier I would run it out to her, and I tracked her down in the parking lot to give it to her. She looked at me as I had just saved her life - blown away that anyone would do that. I realize up there, people keep to themselves and aren't as kind to others, but that's just human nature for me.

[pstall]

i think paying it forward can inpsire others to in fact go take care of those even less fortunate. it can be a splash of cold water and create an eureka moment.

[4Corners]

random acts of kindness ftw!

[CharlotteBeer.com]

i think paying it forward can inpsire others to in fact go take care of those even less fortunate. it can be a splash of cold water and create an eureka moment.

And I do agree with you guys there. I just think it's funny because a guy at work mentioned he did this for people after someone did it for him. That's great, but it's like this charity just continues to be applied to those who don't need it.

Again, I know I'm being cynical though. It's ultimately a good thing that will hopefully inspire others to do good no matter where they are.

[The_Cannon]

When I lived in Charlotte I wasn't the most charitable person around and I hate to admit that. When I moved to Raleigh, it had a real impact on me because literally every corner has a homeless person begging for money and it really made me reconsider how fortunate I am, and I'm not wealthy by any means but I know that I can afford to help some people here and there and it feels good and eventually it'll come back around to me, and if it doesn't at least I was able to make someones life better.

[charlotte49er]

When I lived in Charlotte I wasn't the most charitable person around and I hate to admit that. When I moved to Raleigh, it had a real impact on me because literally every corner has a homeless person begging for money and it really made me reconsider how fortunate I am, and I'm not wealthy by any means but I know that I can afford to help some people here and there and it feels good and eventually it'll come back around to me, and if it doesn't at least I was able to make someones life better.

(Copied from an e-mail.)

José and Carlos are beggars.

They beg in different areas of town.

Carlos begs for the same amount of time as José, but collects only about

$8.00 or $9.00 a day.

José brings home a suitcase full of

ten-dollar bills every day. He drives

a Mercedes, lives in a mortgage-free

house, and has a lot of money to spend.

"Hey, amigo," Carlos says to José,

"I work just as long and hard as you do,

so how come you bring home a suitcase

full of ten dollar bills every day?

José says,

"Look at your sign, what does it say?"

Carlos reads his sign:

"I have no work, a wife and six kids to

support.""What's wrong with that?"

Carlos asks him.

"No wonder you only get $8.00 or $9.00

a day!" says José.

Carlos says,

"All right, what is on your sign?"

José shows him:

[Bronn]

no... I've done close to the opposite though... going as far as yelling expletives at an older woman in front of me that was already taking too long, and had to hand her food back through the window twice because something wasn't right...

I was borderline at the tipping point of walking up to her window, robbing her, and reaching through the drive through window and strangling the incompetent fugs not asking her to pull up and continuing to screw up her order...

Thankfully for all involved, I waited, pissed off, in the cab of my truck...