Homeless Is Where The Heart Is, Part 2

(It’s a fairly dull night shift, not much activity. The shop is dead at the moment and I don’t have much to do. A young boy comes in who looks about eight or nine, and walks up to me at the till.)

Kid: “Um, excuse me. Do you have any snack-y things?”

Me: “Sure, we’ve got some stuff in the lunch fridge here and some more on the other side.”

Kid: “Thanks!”

(He wanders off for a while and comes back around with a few things. He starts inspecting the coffee machine.)

Kid: “How much is coffee?”

Me: “It’s [price].”

Kid: “Okay, what does the man outside like?”

(I suddenly realize that he’s buying food for the homeless guy who usually sits near the store.)

Me: “Oh, it’s a white regular with sugar.”

Kid: “One of them, please!”

Me: “That’s very nice of you.”

Kid: “Well, I thought that since I have so much stuff I should give to people who need it more than me.”

(He paid for the food and gave it to the guy outside. And I was smiling faintly about it for the rest of the night.)

This story is part of our Pay It Forward roundup!

Read the next Pay It Forward story!

Read the Pay It Forward roundup!