Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Paying a toll

My husband is at the Mayo Clinic today. He is going to be spending three days this week at the clinic getting x-rayed, EKG'd, blood drawn, and biopsied. Today will be his longest day, but the least invasive, so I stayed home for most of it and let him go by himself. I did run in though, to be there for his appointment with his post-transplant nurse. I hadn't met her yet and this is the appointment where we learn about test results. She's a hoot! I'm glad to finally meet the person behind the phone messages lol

Being able to be seen at the Mayo Clinic is truly a blessing, but it is also exhausting. Every kind thing that you can do to help out another patient is appreciated. The days are usually long and nearly everyone is tired.

Today I parked in the parking garage and noticed that there was a rate change. It used to be $1 for the first hour, $2 for two hours and $3 max. We would come up to the gate, grab the little ticket and then remember where we put the ticket when leaving. This morning there was no little ticket to grab and the gate was up. I could just drive right through. When I got to the booth when I was ready to leave I saw what had happened - $2 all day. One rate. No thinking. No tickets to lose. I love it.

This is when I did it. I handed the guy $4 and told him I wanted to pay for the car behind me. I've always wanted to do that! I didn't even turn around to see what their reaction was, I just drove off. Other cars got in behind me so they never even caught up to me. It was great. It was just $2 but it was nice. I hope that the little gesture was a bright spot in their day. If it didn't make their day, it made mine!

I can't remember when or where - but someone paid for our lunch once. I can't even remember who I was with, but it happened. I remember just sitting there totally stunned. They had already left, but they just picked a couple and bought their lunch. I may have forgotten everything else about the event, but I will never forget that gesture.

Have you ever done something like that for someone? Payed the change someone was missing in line at the grocery store? Put money in an expired meter that wasn't yours? Payed the toll for the person behind you in line?

Have a fabulous week!
Kristin

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love this idea. I'm going to be on the lookout.

Sheila @ Dr Cason.org said...

Yes I have paid for an expired meter. It was cool.

And the last time I was at a toll, I did this. I paid for the guy behind me and I glanced in the mirror and could see him talking and then I saw him hand money to the toll guy and point to the car behind him. It was cool too.

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

I love this little random acts of kindness. LOve it! I have done those things sometimes and it is so rewarding a feeling.

"J" said...

That was really sweet of you!!!! =)

I've never done that but I want too!!! They were just talking about it on our local news!!! Maybe I should go to Starbucks and pass on a little sweetness in the drive-thru! =) That would be sweet!

I wished I was rich! I would do little things like that all the time!!!

I hope everything is okay with Hubs! Keep us posted!!!!

Keep us posted!!!! =)

Anonymous said...

That's awesome! I will be on the look out for things to do! My husband does stuff like that all of the time. He has such a kind heart!

Girl in Carolina said...

First of all, thanks for the comment on my blog! You have NO idea how glad I am that someone else botched a crock pot recipe also! I had a nightmare experience with a breakfast quiche and everyone made fun of me for messing up a crock pot recipe. Too funny!

Secondly, I have been meaning to do a post similar to this! I think that is so fun to do a random act of kindess like that. It ends up making you feel so much better than the person you did the random act for. I love it...good for you!! :)

AlisonArtisan said...

I have done the parking meter thing a lot. Recently when I took my daughter to the Library downtown we saw that the car ahead of us had 1 minute left. It was fun to show her how easy it is to be kind to someone you don't know. A simple quarter can mean so much...especially since the parking attendants here are crazy vigilant!

LLG Denise said...

No, but gosh darn it, it has been done for me and now i'm feeling shamed that i have not paid it forward! Will be thinking about that in the days to come. What a wonderful loving spirit you have! I am so glad--and very blessed--to know you!

LLG Denise said...

AND!!!

How did Tom's check up go? I've been reading backwards, and i know he's home cooking turkeys (!), so i'm assuming/hoping all is well?