I was walking from my office to the train station. Let me set the mood real fast.
It is about 6 PM, dark, snowy / rainy and everything is either coved in ice or water. So I start walking to the train station. ( I had already slipped twice ). Well after I cross the street an elderly man in a suit approaches me looking distraught.
He asks: " Do you work around here?"
me: " Yes sir. Right over there. Do you need directions? "
him: " No it's not that. I need help."
me: " Ooooook. What's the matter?"
him : " Well my name is Jeff. I was driving and I hit a piece of rebar and I now have a flat tire. I went to the service station and they can fix it. The repair will cost 21 dollars. The problem is I don't have my wallet with me and I live in Buford. Can you help me ? "
He then proceeded to show me the card he got from the Shell Service Station that was one block from where we stood. As he was showing it to me I was thinking: Ok, so here is an older gentleman, wearing a nice suit, nice glasses, and nice shoes, showing me proof that he had been to a service station and needed help getting his tire repaired.
So I decided to throw him a curve ball...
Me: " Sure I can probably help you. I have been to that service station before. I know they fix tires. I don't have any cash, but I can go to there and pay for it with my card??"
Jeff: " Well that would work but I was instructed to pay the driver who is on his way to the car now.."
Hmmm...curve ball deflected....
me : " Well I don't have any cash on hand. Sorry."
Jeff: " Well would you mind going to an ATM? I work at AT&T in this building, and will gladly pay you back with interest tomorrow. What building do you work in ?"
I then gave him the address and he knew that the building I work in is also the "Westwood College" building. This solidified my confidence that he worked in the area because the building isn't labeled anywhere from the street that it is the Westwood College building. So unless he worked in the area and KNEW that , it would be hard to fake on the spot.
I then agreed to accompany him to an ATM so I could loan him some cash to get his problem fixed. We went inside one of the massive buildings and found a BOA ATM. I withdrew some money, handed it over.
He then asked me for my contact information and cell phone number so he could get in touch with me today to repay me. As we were walking to the street he told me that he really appreciated me helping him and that he too was a Christian, and liked to help strangers in need.
I thought that was an odd thing to say to someone. I could very well be a follower of ANY religion and want to help my fellow man. He just assumed this can only happen if I am a Christian. That almost broke the entire deal for me.
So few people that read my blog..
Do you think I am going to get burned on this good deed I tried to do?
