Telha
One evening, a man noticed an elderly woman stranded on the side of the road. Realizing she needed help, he pulled his sputtering Pontiac in front of her Mercedes and stepped out. Despite his cheerful demeanor, the woman was uneasy.
His worn appearance didn’t inspire confidence—he looked like someone struggling with poverty. But he noticed her shivering in the snow, fear evident in her posture. He could sense her distress, the kind that only true desperation brings.
“I’m here to help you, ma’am,” he said gently. “You can wait in the warmth of your car if you’d like. My name’s Bryan Anderson.”
The issue was just a flat tire, but for an elderly woman alone, it was overwhelming. Bryan crawled under the car, scraping his knuckles as he searched for a spot to place the jack. Despite the cold and discomfort, he worked quickly, changing the tire while getting his hands dirty.
As he tightened the lug nuts, the woman rolled down her window and started a conversation. She explained she was just passing through from St. Louis and felt deeply grateful for his help.
When Bryan finished, she asked how much she owed him. She was willing to pay any amount, already imagining all the terrible things that could have happened had he not stopped. But Bryan simply smiled and shook his head.
“This isn’t work for me,” he said. “Just a way to pay forward the kindness I’ve received. If you really want to repay me, help someone in need the next time you get the chance. And when you do, think of me.”
He waited until she was safely back in her car and driving away before heading home himself. Despite the cold, Bryan felt warm inside as he disappeared into the night.
Further down the road, the woman spotted a small, modest diner. Hungry and tired, she decided to stop for a quick meal before continuing her journey. The place was unassuming, with two rusty gas pumps outside, but it was warm inside.
A pregnant waitress, visibly about eight months along, greeted her with a kind smile that even a long day couldn’t diminish. After finishing her meal, the elderly woman paid with a $100 bill. The waitress hurried to the register to get her change, but by the time she returned, the woman was gone.
Puzzled, the waitress noticed a napkin left behind. On it was a note that brought tears to her eyes:
“You don’t owe me anything. Someone once helped me, just as I’m helping you now. If you’d like to repay the favor, keep the kindness going and don’t let the chain end here.”
Underneath the napkin was another $100.
That money meant the world to the waitress, who was working long days to prepare for her baby’s arrival the following month. As she crawled into bed that night, she couldn’t stop thinking about the woman’s note and generosity.
Gently kissing her sleeping husband on the cheek, she whispered, “Everything’s going to be all right. Bryan Anderson, I love you.”
As the old saying goes, what goes around comes around.
