Jump Right On That

(An older man comes into the coffee shop I work at. He begins talking to the supervisor on duty. I’m in the drive-thru, and she calls me over.)

Supervisor: “[My Name], can you come over here?”

(I walk over.)

Supervisor: “This man wants to talk to you about your car.”

(I’m confused, and the first thought in my mind is that he’s hit it in the parking lot. The supervisor walks away.)

Man: “My van is parked in front of your car, and the battery died. I was wondering if you could give me a jump?”

Me: “Hang on; I’ll go ask if I can come out.”

(I explain the situation to the supervisor, and she tells me I can run out and jump the man’s vehicle, so I grab my keys and follow him out to the parking lot. In a matter of minutes, his vehicle is running, and I get ready to head back inside.)

Man: “Thank you so much.”

Me: “No problem. Happy I could help.”

(I turn to go back to work.)

Man: “Just a minute. I want to give you something for helping me.”

Me: “You don’t have to. I didn’t mind at all.”

(The man presses a $20 bill into my hand.)

Man: “I want to. It would have cost me a lot more than that if I had to call a garage, and you didn’t have to help me. Take it.”

(He climbed into his van and drove away. I was smiling as I walked back in. I work for minimum wage, and that $20 helped me to pay the bills that month.)