Pay It Forward…
Hello, EVERYONE! It has been a while since my last blog entry. But, my life has been so busy (it’s all GOOD) and I’ve not been able to find the time to blog.
For the past three weeks, I’ve been trying to find the time to tell you about a terrible experience at McDonald’s (not with the staff or McDonald’s, but with people in the drive through line), but I was so moved by a different kind of experience at McDonald’s this morning, that I’ve chosen to tell you about the positive one!
First, a little background…
I am addicted to non-fat caramel mocha coffee sold only at McDonald’s. Yep, absolutely, completely and totally addicted. I have one every day. And I usually have my caramel mocha coffee as part of the same morning routine. I’m a morning person and I take care of a lot of things for work before the sun ever rises. Once I’ve done some work things, I load my two yorkies (Tori-small black and Jayce-bigger silver) into the car and head to McDonald’s with my iPad. While the babies sleep in the sunshine, I sip my coffee and iPad for a while. It’s a ritual at my house. We do it every day that I am home. And the babies know when it is time. When I pick up their blanket and put it across my arm, they know it’s time and Tori will jump into my arms and Jayce jumps around making little laughing sounds as I pick him up. Once we get there, Tori sleeps in the front windshield and Jayce sleeps next to me in the passenger seat. It’s the same way every time. No variations. And, for 99% of the time, it is the same McDonald’s-Chelsea, Alabama. All the staff know me by name and they all know Tori and Jayce. When I go through the line, they all tell Tori and Jayce good morning as they tell me good morning. I can’t exactly say that it’s my neighborhood McDonald’s because we live so far out in the country, we have to drive 30 minutes to get anywhere. But it is as close to a neighborhood McDonald’s as I’ll ever have. 🙂
So my morning ritual began as usual this morning. We got to McDonald’s and when it came my turn, I gave my order, “Good morning. Please give me 1 large caramel mocha coffee with non-fat milk, please”.
“Yes, mam. That’ll be $3.66. Please pull around to the first window”.
“OK. Thanks.” I then proceeded to the first window. There are 2-3 cars in the line in front of us and I slowly made my way to the window to pay.
As always, I had my debit card out. The sweet McDonald’s staff person told me good morning and told the babies good morning. Tori didn’t bark or growl, she just made little noises while trying to wag her tail laying down. Jayce did not wake up. As long as the car is running, he acts like he is drugged and sleeps through everything.
At first it didn’t register that the young woman wasn’t taking my debit card. She handed me a receipt and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I said, “But I haven’t paid.”
“It’s already been taken care of. She told me to tell you to have a great and blessed day.”
Oh my goodness.
“Really–somebody paid for my coffee? Do you know who it was?” I asked.
I could tell by the look on her face that if I pushed her, she would tell me. But I knew I shouldn’t do that so I just said, “It’s ok…you don’t have to tell me. My goodness, what a wonderful thing she did. Thank you!”
I then went to the window to pick up my coffee. As she is handing it to me, she says, “Isn’t that a blessing. She just wanted you to have a blessed day.”
I told her, “Thank you…I will have a blessed day. What a sweet and kind gesture. I will definitely pay it forward.”
The McDonald’s staff person said, “She knew you would. She said you are a great person.”
I just looked at her and said, “Thank you”. I pulled into a parking space that I knew picked up the wi-fi signal and sat there for a minute or two, letting that blessed, wonderful feeling wash over me.
I have no idea who paid for my coffee and who was so generous with their kind comments. And I know it wasn’t a lot of money, but you can’t put a price tag on a blessing or a kind gesture. Make no mistake, I will pay it forward! 🙂
Charity
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