Paying It Forward

I love a good deed. I enjoy giving to those in need. I was taught early on to love the unlovable and the unloved. So I have no issues giving to those in need. I don’t even have a problem with paying for someone else’s food. Let’s be honest here, I’m not a schmuck. I have feelings. After all, I’ve been on the receiving end too. I know how touched you feel when you receive an unexpected blessing. I’ve always been a giver. It’s just who I am.

Until I worked a drive-thru.

I always thought paying it forward was the coolest thing. I have even participated in the event. I remember this one time, I had been sitting in line at a Dunkin’ Donuts. My car was over heating, and I was getting stressed out. I had my daughter in the car, and she was crying because she was hungry. I was supposed to be working, but because I couldn’t afford a babysitter I had to carry her to work with me. (I work in my car as an Instacart carrier.) The person in front of me seemed to be taking a long time, and it was obvious that they had a lot of items. I kept praying that they would hurry up. When they finally pulled off, I put my car in drive and moved up. I got to the window, with the money ready in my hand. The lady finally opens the window and hands me my drink and my child’s food. Then she started to close the window. “Wait, don’t I have to pay?” I ask. The lady smiles and says, “Oh, the lady in front of you paid for your order.” I blushed and then panicked. “How much is the order behind me?” I ask. She tells me the order, but it’s a whole ten dollars more than my order and I really can’t afford it. I decided to pay for it anyway, in hopes that some good fortune will fall on me later. It’s pretty cool though. That warm fuzzy feeling you get when some stranger does something nice and it lands in your lap, is unsurpassable. I love the idea of paying it forward.

Until I was the one taking the order.

Now please don’t get mad at me. I am only telling you like it is.

You have been working four hours now, and haven’t had a break. (Not even a bathroom break.) A guy in a big pickup truck pulls up to the window. You cash out their order, and proceed to return their card. Then they ask you how much the order is behind them.

Here it goes you think to yourself.

You tell the customer that the order is five dollars and forty-nine cents. They’re like, cool. Let me pay for there’s too.

Now not only do I have to cash out the next order, I have to make sure I don’t hand them that receipt. I have to make sure I don’t knock off the order behind them, and I have to make sure everyone gets the correct order. This isn’t really hard, but I have a three and a half minute timeline. Then to make matters worse, now the next four cars behind them want to do the same thing.

Things get jumbled around and mixed up. It’s just a mess, and it’s stressful. I mean it’s great. I personally enjoy watching people’s faces turn to mush when they realize that the person in front of them paid for their order, and then realizing the order behind them is nearly sixty bucks.

Yes, people spend that much (and more) at Taco Bell.

Anyway…

Keep paying it forward if you want to, but I’m sure there are homeless people that would love a meal. Sure you have to get out of your car, but it’s really a better option.

After all, if the person behind you didn’t have the money they wouldn’t be there.