Maybe it made a difference, maybe it didn't. But I want to think that it did.
Thursday night, when I was working in the concession stand for the varsity game, a young man who was a member of the football team came to the window.
He grinned at me and said, "Hey! You have any free hot dogs that you can spare?"
"Nice try, but no." I replied. "I have some good two dollar ones, though!"
"Aw, darn." He smiled and turned away from the window.
It wasn't but a few minutes, he was back. "Are you sure you don't have a free hot dog you can spare?"
I began to wonder if he was a friendly con man, or was he really that hungry? Then, as I smiled and shook my head in the negative, one of his friends came up and slapped him on the back.
"Hey, man, why aren't you playing?"
"Man, I didn't pass that vocab test, and Coach said I was ineligible to play today."
They talked together for a minute, then started walking away. I don't know what possessed me, but right then I called the young football player back to the window.
"Hey. Did I hear you say you are ineligible to play?"
He looked down for a second. "Yeah, I am."
I spoke to him with partially mock severity, and handed him a hot dog. "OK, listen to me. I'm going to buy you this hot dog, but you have to promise me that next week you will come back and tell me that you have brought your grades back up to passing."
He laughed, and said, "Hey, thanks! I sure will!"
I figured I was quite the sucker, but I didn't dwell on it too much. It is not common for any of the kids to ask for food more than once, so maybe he was really hungry. Or whatever. I put it out of my mind.
Well, guess what! Today I was cleaning the concession after the 9th grade game, and my football player came to the door.
He smiled a bit sheepishly, then said to me, "I came by to tell you that I am eligible to play now."
You could have knocked me over with the proverbial feather. The day I gave him the hot dog, that was exactly what I wanted to happen, but I did not expect to ever see him again. He not only brought his grade back up, but made the effort to let me know about it! The biggest reward for me was the big smile that flashed on his face when I stood up and applauded him.
Did one hot dog make a difference? Maybe not, but I guess I will never know for sure. The Pollyanna in me wants to think that it did.
5 comments:
Good for you! Maybe the milk of human kindness has, and will continue, to make a difference in that young man's life.
Maybe it wasn't the Hot Dog, but the fact that you took an interest in him that made the difference. Great story!
I "liked" your story on fb, but didn't comment there.
What struck me at first about this is how we never really "know" what is going on in the lives of others.
I say good on you for ponying up the 'dog for the young guy. And, who knows, it may be one of those "little things" that makes a big difference in his life. That he made a point to come back and tell you does say something about the effect you had on him.
I was reminded of the time my late wife and two girls were going to have breakfast at a restaurant on Whyte Ave in Edmonton. A young man was begging spare change out front as they went in. They didn't give him money, but when they were finished, they ordered a full take out breakfast and gave it to him as they left the restaurant. I wonder what effect that little act had, if any, on that young man.
Thanks for sharing this story Stella.
What a nice thing you did. I'll just bet that your kindness DID have an effect on him.
I like to think that great things start with small ideas. You might have just set that young fella on the road to greatness with that hot dog! Anyway that is what the "pollyanna" in me chooses to think
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