Congratulations !
You have been awarded points.
Thank you for !
- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Inspirational
- Subject: Miracles / Wonders
- Published: 11/10/2018
What goes around comes around.
Born 1951, M, from Wilmington NC, United States.jpeg)
Bryan was dumbfounded. In his seventeen years as a manager of the local grocery store, never before had he come across a situation like this. He heard the story over the headset that he wore (and all the store employees wear nowadays)- and still it flabbergasted him. The sheer effrontery of the man.
Imagine getting two ten pound turkeys, all the associated fixings: yams, cranberries, string bean casserole, hot rolls, plus gravy, some whip cream and pumpkin pie filling- plus two pie crusts; marching up to the Cashier and saying:
“I don’t have any money. I need you to donate these two dinners plus dessert. One for Mrs. Fielding and her three kids. The other is for Tonya and her two little boys. I shall do all the cooking and preparation. You don’t have to worry about that part, I just don’t have any money to buy all of this for their Thanksgiving Dinner.”
Well, Bryan didn’t have to imagine, neither did Kasey the Cashier, because the man who just said that to her was standing in front of her register. She had the man repeat it (twice) so Bryan could hear it for himself. Bryan was on his way to confront the brazen man - with full intentions to put all those things back. After all, there were Food Banks all around town. There were several Salvation Army places to eat Thanksgiving Dinner, even a few Churches were opening their doors to the less fortunate. Heck, even the grocery store itself did a Food Drive for the Christmas Holidays.
When he got to Kasey’s station he was genuinely surprised. The man was neat, well dressed, in fact, immaculately dressed (although about two decades out of step with fashion- at least) and was smiling a very pleasant smile. As composed a fellow as Bryan had ever seen. Not an ounce of tension, apprehension, or that sly smarmy look that people get when trying to con someone, or bluff their way out of a situation. The man looked, well…comfortable. At ease. Relaxed.
And that made Bryan tense.
“Sir. There must be some mistake. We aren’t a charity. We do have policies in place that take our still edible food products to people who run charities. But we have no way of just giving food away to an individual.”
“Oh, but this isn’t for me. It is for Mrs. Fielding and Tanya. They don’t have much. Mrs. Fielding can’t really cook anymore because she takes care of her husband who has been bed ridden since that terrible car wreck back in May. Tanya is a single mother working two jobs to make ends meet.
I can cook. But I don’t have much money. They are too proud to ask for Charity or help. I am too proud not to ask.“
Bryan had no answer to that. He looked at Kasey. Kasey looked back with shiny eyes. There was no doubt what Kasey wanted.
“Can’t we write it off as some kind of spill, or broken container or something?”
Bryan couldn’t believe it. Kasey wanted to just give this stuff to the kind looking man. What in the world is going on…rattled in his head as his heart tried to punch through the corporate training instilled in him since College.
The kind looking, two decades out of touch with fashion, hoping for a handout man, just stood without guile or artifice staring gently at Bryan.
“Why don’t you pay for it?”
“I told you…I don’t have much money.”
“Don’t you have retirement funds, or Social Security?”
“Yes. A little pension that pays for my apartment, and my few needs. My Social Security check goes to Megan. So, you see, I need you to give me these groceries so I can get the two turkeys and fixings done by Tomorrow.”
The nattily dressed (but two decades behind the fashion curve), neat looking man with the gentle smile looked at Bryan with a look that plainly said:
“See? My hands are tied. You need to help.”
Bryan’s mind was racing. He had more questions than answers, so he asked one:
“Who is Megan, and why does she get your Social Security Check?”
For the first time, the nicely dressed man (but two decades out of style) with the nice smile, frowned. A sad wry twist of a frown. His eyes, for just a moment, seemed to grow angry, then sorrowful, almost as a single flowing emotion.
“Megan is a young lady who lost her Husband at only 23 in one of those silly damn wars people seem to think we need. If that wasn’t enough, her daughter was born with some complications. Almost everything she earns goes to Doctors, Lawyers, or care for her daughter. My Social Security Check gives her some breathing room for ordinary stuff like a night out, Pizza, or just a blouse, or shoes. Gas for her car, and trips to the zoo or a movie for her and her daughter. It isn’t a lot, but she has managed to save enough from my little check to have an emergency fund to fix things around the house, or get the car tuned. I am very proud of her.”
Bryan made his decision.
He rang the dapper looking, two decades out of fashion, gently smiling man’s bill up himself. It came to a little over sixty four dollars and some change. Bryan took out his wallet and paid cash. Then he handed the receipt over to the man with an admonition:
“I can’t do this all the time. Don’t come back here again, we won’t be able to help you.”
Kasey just bagged all the groceries not daring to say a word. She was happy for the dapper man two decades behind in fashion, but she knew Bryan had two kids of his own, and Grocery Store Managers don’t make a lot of money. She knew how much sixty four dollars and some change would mean coming out of her pocket.
It didn’t stop Kasey from putting six bags of M&M’s and two Hershey Bars for the Mom’s in with the dinner fixings. M&M's that she paid for while Bryan was talking with the man. After all, everyone should have some chocolate in their life on Thanksgiving. It made her smile.
“Oh. If I need anything else, I will tell you.“
“Didn’t you hear me? I said don’t come back here again. I can’t afford to help you. And the store can’t either.”
“That’s where you are wrong young man. (Said the dapper looking two decades out of fashion gently smiling man). We are all here to help as often as we can. Maybe next time it won’t be dinners, or a Holiday. Maybe it will be a few diapers, or some laundry soap. Whatever it is, it will make a difference. Just like you did today. Kindness does not come with an expiration date, or limit. You will see.”
Bryan just stared. He couldn’t be angry with the dapper man two decades behind the fashion police, but he would call the police if he came back again. So he thought.
*****
It was just bad luck. The loading dock was slippery, it was cold, and the kid driving the forklift didn’t know anyone was standing behind the palates. A bang, thud, and scream happened almost simultaneously. The kid jumped off the forklift to run around in front of the stacked pallets. Bryan lay there, both his legs at crooked angles. Bryan screamed once more, then fainted.
That was four months ago now. Bryan still couldn’t walk. He couldn’t even get out of bed. Both legs and the steel rods inside of them, were still wrapped in casts. All he got was Workman’s Comp. Twenty five grand is all Workman’s comp allowed. The Store Insurance paid some of the Hospital bills. Becky was doing a yeoman job of handling his care, the two kids, and budgeting what little money wasn’t going out to Surgeons, therapists, and Doctors. They had squeezed out every penny to try and stay in their tiny house. But it was a losing battle.
There was a knock at the door.
*****
A dapper little neatly dressed man was standing at the door. Becky thought he was cute- even though he was clearly two decades out of fashion. She didn’t know anyone who wore a bow tie- let alone anyone who could actually tie one, like this man had obviously done with great care. He had the softest warm brown eyes, kind eyes, and that is when her intuition clicked in. He was safe to let into her home.
Bryan was struggling to concentrate. He was trying to learn programming - because if he ever learned to walk again, he sure wasn’t going to be able to work on his feet sixty hours a week. It was getting a bit easier, but God he needed a tutor, or some real classes, not just this Youtube series he was trying to learn from.
So it was with a bit of irritation that he answered Becky’s call:
“Hey Bryan, there is a man here to see you.”
“Who? Not another one of those damn attorney’s is it?”
Becky turned towards the dapper man with the warm brown eyes and the neat clothes that were two decades behind fashion and winked then whispered:
“That’s actually a good sign. When he is in one of his funks, he doesn’t get mad, or petulant…he just kind of…well, stews.” (A single tear formed on Becky’s cheek. Those stewing moments were growing to be all too common.)
The dapper man reached over and patted Becky’s shoulder. A touch she found…well…touching. It made her smile back.
“Becky, hang in there. Bryan is a good man. He will make a comeback. You’ll see.”
Becky gave the dapper man two decades behind in fashion a weird look. Because something in the man’s voice gave rise to an emotion in her that she hadn’t felt since the day of the accident. She almost didn’t recognize it…it was hope.
“Honey, who is it?”
Bryan’s voice was more impatient now, and tinged with a bit of the pain that was his constant companion. Not walking scared him. Becoming addicted to opioids terrified him. So his pain medicine stayed safely away…at least most of the time.
Bryan looked up from his bed in surprise, because his wife did not answer him. A voice that he vaguely remembered did.
“Hi Bryan. Hope you are up for some good news.”
Bryan had a quick thought: “Why am I dumbfounded every time I meet this man.”
Out loud he said:
“You! I remember you. You managed to swindle two Thanksgiving Turkeys from me.”
The Dapper man smiled.
“Not swindled, kindly give without conditions. That’s what you did.“
“Well, I can’t give you any turkeys today.“
“Oh. I know. I am here to give you a few things.”
Becky slid to the side of the bed and felt Bryan’s hand tighten around hers. She was all ears. Something was going on, but what.
The well dressed, neatly groomed, man whose style sense was about two decades behind, opened his vest and pulled out four envelopes. He laid each one on the tray next to Bryan’s bed. He put them there with all the solemnity of a Poker Player being called out to lay his cards on the table. And he did so with the self assurance only a Royal Flush could bring a poker player.
Becky and Bryan watched in awe, as the dapper man put each envelope down with a short synopsis of what was inside:
“In this envelope is the deed to your house. A lot of people respect you Bryan and when I asked them to give $100 a piece so we could pay off the $32,000 mortgage you have left, well, most gave quite a bit more. You, my friend, made lots of friends.”
Becky didn’t speak. Her tears streaming down her face, bubbling over her smile of relief and worry- spoke for her.
The man two decades behind in fashion continued on:
“This second envelope is from a Lawyer friend of mine who owed me a favor. Basically it says that he put your deed into a trust. No one can take this house from you for any bankruptcy, or medical, or tax reasons.”
Becky leaned in and squeezed Bryan, who squeezed back just as hard. Neither of them were breathing deeply…
“This third envelope contains a scholarship. Mrs. Fielding used to be a Professor at the University. She used her contacts to get you a scholarship for the Computer Science Program. Her husband is still bed ridden and will never work again. She thinks you will.“
Now Becky was sobbing. Bryan had to hold her with both arms, and it was all Bryan could do to not join her in sobbing uncontrollably.
The dapper man with clothes two decades out of step and time, held the fourth envelope up:
“This one is from Megan and Tanya. It is more like a coupon. They will each watch your kids one day a week, so Becky can have some time off. Tanya is also a trained Certified Nursing Assistant, so she will come over once a week to do all those things Nurses do. Giving Becky another day where she can be your wife and friend, and not caretaker.“
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Well, let’s just say this:
What goes around comes around."
What goes around comes around.(Kevin Hughes)
Bryan was dumbfounded. In his seventeen years as a manager of the local grocery store, never before had he come across a situation like this. He heard the story over the headset that he wore (and all the store employees wear nowadays)- and still it flabbergasted him. The sheer effrontery of the man.
Imagine getting two ten pound turkeys, all the associated fixings: yams, cranberries, string bean casserole, hot rolls, plus gravy, some whip cream and pumpkin pie filling- plus two pie crusts; marching up to the Cashier and saying:
“I don’t have any money. I need you to donate these two dinners plus dessert. One for Mrs. Fielding and her three kids. The other is for Tonya and her two little boys. I shall do all the cooking and preparation. You don’t have to worry about that part, I just don’t have any money to buy all of this for their Thanksgiving Dinner.”
Well, Bryan didn’t have to imagine, neither did Kasey the Cashier, because the man who just said that to her was standing in front of her register. She had the man repeat it (twice) so Bryan could hear it for himself. Bryan was on his way to confront the brazen man - with full intentions to put all those things back. After all, there were Food Banks all around town. There were several Salvation Army places to eat Thanksgiving Dinner, even a few Churches were opening their doors to the less fortunate. Heck, even the grocery store itself did a Food Drive for the Christmas Holidays.
When he got to Kasey’s station he was genuinely surprised. The man was neat, well dressed, in fact, immaculately dressed (although about two decades out of step with fashion- at least) and was smiling a very pleasant smile. As composed a fellow as Bryan had ever seen. Not an ounce of tension, apprehension, or that sly smarmy look that people get when trying to con someone, or bluff their way out of a situation. The man looked, well…comfortable. At ease. Relaxed.
And that made Bryan tense.
“Sir. There must be some mistake. We aren’t a charity. We do have policies in place that take our still edible food products to people who run charities. But we have no way of just giving food away to an individual.”
“Oh, but this isn’t for me. It is for Mrs. Fielding and Tanya. They don’t have much. Mrs. Fielding can’t really cook anymore because she takes care of her husband who has been bed ridden since that terrible car wreck back in May. Tanya is a single mother working two jobs to make ends meet.
I can cook. But I don’t have much money. They are too proud to ask for Charity or help. I am too proud not to ask.“
Bryan had no answer to that. He looked at Kasey. Kasey looked back with shiny eyes. There was no doubt what Kasey wanted.
“Can’t we write it off as some kind of spill, or broken container or something?”
Bryan couldn’t believe it. Kasey wanted to just give this stuff to the kind looking man. What in the world is going on…rattled in his head as his heart tried to punch through the corporate training instilled in him since College.
The kind looking, two decades out of touch with fashion, hoping for a handout man, just stood without guile or artifice staring gently at Bryan.
“Why don’t you pay for it?”
“I told you…I don’t have much money.”
“Don’t you have retirement funds, or Social Security?”
“Yes. A little pension that pays for my apartment, and my few needs. My Social Security check goes to Megan. So, you see, I need you to give me these groceries so I can get the two turkeys and fixings done by Tomorrow.”
The nattily dressed (but two decades behind the fashion curve), neat looking man with the gentle smile looked at Bryan with a look that plainly said:
“See? My hands are tied. You need to help.”
Bryan’s mind was racing. He had more questions than answers, so he asked one:
“Who is Megan, and why does she get your Social Security Check?”
For the first time, the nicely dressed man (but two decades out of style) with the nice smile, frowned. A sad wry twist of a frown. His eyes, for just a moment, seemed to grow angry, then sorrowful, almost as a single flowing emotion.
“Megan is a young lady who lost her Husband at only 23 in one of those silly damn wars people seem to think we need. If that wasn’t enough, her daughter was born with some complications. Almost everything she earns goes to Doctors, Lawyers, or care for her daughter. My Social Security Check gives her some breathing room for ordinary stuff like a night out, Pizza, or just a blouse, or shoes. Gas for her car, and trips to the zoo or a movie for her and her daughter. It isn’t a lot, but she has managed to save enough from my little check to have an emergency fund to fix things around the house, or get the car tuned. I am very proud of her.”
Bryan made his decision.
He rang the dapper looking, two decades out of fashion, gently smiling man’s bill up himself. It came to a little over sixty four dollars and some change. Bryan took out his wallet and paid cash. Then he handed the receipt over to the man with an admonition:
“I can’t do this all the time. Don’t come back here again, we won’t be able to help you.”
Kasey just bagged all the groceries not daring to say a word. She was happy for the dapper man two decades behind in fashion, but she knew Bryan had two kids of his own, and Grocery Store Managers don’t make a lot of money. She knew how much sixty four dollars and some change would mean coming out of her pocket.
It didn’t stop Kasey from putting six bags of M&M’s and two Hershey Bars for the Mom’s in with the dinner fixings. M&M's that she paid for while Bryan was talking with the man. After all, everyone should have some chocolate in their life on Thanksgiving. It made her smile.
“Oh. If I need anything else, I will tell you.“
“Didn’t you hear me? I said don’t come back here again. I can’t afford to help you. And the store can’t either.”
“That’s where you are wrong young man. (Said the dapper looking two decades out of fashion gently smiling man). We are all here to help as often as we can. Maybe next time it won’t be dinners, or a Holiday. Maybe it will be a few diapers, or some laundry soap. Whatever it is, it will make a difference. Just like you did today. Kindness does not come with an expiration date, or limit. You will see.”
Bryan just stared. He couldn’t be angry with the dapper man two decades behind the fashion police, but he would call the police if he came back again. So he thought.
*****
It was just bad luck. The loading dock was slippery, it was cold, and the kid driving the forklift didn’t know anyone was standing behind the palates. A bang, thud, and scream happened almost simultaneously. The kid jumped off the forklift to run around in front of the stacked pallets. Bryan lay there, both his legs at crooked angles. Bryan screamed once more, then fainted.
That was four months ago now. Bryan still couldn’t walk. He couldn’t even get out of bed. Both legs and the steel rods inside of them, were still wrapped in casts. All he got was Workman’s Comp. Twenty five grand is all Workman’s comp allowed. The Store Insurance paid some of the Hospital bills. Becky was doing a yeoman job of handling his care, the two kids, and budgeting what little money wasn’t going out to Surgeons, therapists, and Doctors. They had squeezed out every penny to try and stay in their tiny house. But it was a losing battle.
There was a knock at the door.
*****
A dapper little neatly dressed man was standing at the door. Becky thought he was cute- even though he was clearly two decades out of fashion. She didn’t know anyone who wore a bow tie- let alone anyone who could actually tie one, like this man had obviously done with great care. He had the softest warm brown eyes, kind eyes, and that is when her intuition clicked in. He was safe to let into her home.
Bryan was struggling to concentrate. He was trying to learn programming - because if he ever learned to walk again, he sure wasn’t going to be able to work on his feet sixty hours a week. It was getting a bit easier, but God he needed a tutor, or some real classes, not just this Youtube series he was trying to learn from.
So it was with a bit of irritation that he answered Becky’s call:
“Hey Bryan, there is a man here to see you.”
“Who? Not another one of those damn attorney’s is it?”
Becky turned towards the dapper man with the warm brown eyes and the neat clothes that were two decades behind fashion and winked then whispered:
“That’s actually a good sign. When he is in one of his funks, he doesn’t get mad, or petulant…he just kind of…well, stews.” (A single tear formed on Becky’s cheek. Those stewing moments were growing to be all too common.)
The dapper man reached over and patted Becky’s shoulder. A touch she found…well…touching. It made her smile back.
“Becky, hang in there. Bryan is a good man. He will make a comeback. You’ll see.”
Becky gave the dapper man two decades behind in fashion a weird look. Because something in the man’s voice gave rise to an emotion in her that she hadn’t felt since the day of the accident. She almost didn’t recognize it…it was hope.
“Honey, who is it?”
Bryan’s voice was more impatient now, and tinged with a bit of the pain that was his constant companion. Not walking scared him. Becoming addicted to opioids terrified him. So his pain medicine stayed safely away…at least most of the time.
Bryan looked up from his bed in surprise, because his wife did not answer him. A voice that he vaguely remembered did.
“Hi Bryan. Hope you are up for some good news.”
Bryan had a quick thought: “Why am I dumbfounded every time I meet this man.”
Out loud he said:
“You! I remember you. You managed to swindle two Thanksgiving Turkeys from me.”
The Dapper man smiled.
“Not swindled, kindly give without conditions. That’s what you did.“
“Well, I can’t give you any turkeys today.“
“Oh. I know. I am here to give you a few things.”
Becky slid to the side of the bed and felt Bryan’s hand tighten around hers. She was all ears. Something was going on, but what.
The well dressed, neatly groomed, man whose style sense was about two decades behind, opened his vest and pulled out four envelopes. He laid each one on the tray next to Bryan’s bed. He put them there with all the solemnity of a Poker Player being called out to lay his cards on the table. And he did so with the self assurance only a Royal Flush could bring a poker player.
Becky and Bryan watched in awe, as the dapper man put each envelope down with a short synopsis of what was inside:
“In this envelope is the deed to your house. A lot of people respect you Bryan and when I asked them to give $100 a piece so we could pay off the $32,000 mortgage you have left, well, most gave quite a bit more. You, my friend, made lots of friends.”
Becky didn’t speak. Her tears streaming down her face, bubbling over her smile of relief and worry- spoke for her.
The man two decades behind in fashion continued on:
“This second envelope is from a Lawyer friend of mine who owed me a favor. Basically it says that he put your deed into a trust. No one can take this house from you for any bankruptcy, or medical, or tax reasons.”
Becky leaned in and squeezed Bryan, who squeezed back just as hard. Neither of them were breathing deeply…
“This third envelope contains a scholarship. Mrs. Fielding used to be a Professor at the University. She used her contacts to get you a scholarship for the Computer Science Program. Her husband is still bed ridden and will never work again. She thinks you will.“
Now Becky was sobbing. Bryan had to hold her with both arms, and it was all Bryan could do to not join her in sobbing uncontrollably.
The dapper man with clothes two decades out of step and time, held the fourth envelope up:
“This one is from Megan and Tanya. It is more like a coupon. They will each watch your kids one day a week, so Becky can have some time off. Tanya is also a trained Certified Nursing Assistant, so she will come over once a week to do all those things Nurses do. Giving Becky another day where she can be your wife and friend, and not caretaker.“
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Well, let’s just say this:
What goes around comes around."
- Share this story on
- 12
.jpeg)
Valerie Allen
12/01/2019Kevin ~ an enjoyable story befitting the season of love, hope, and giving. There are kind and thoughtful people in the world who do unto others as they want others to do unto them!
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
.jpeg)
Kevin Hughes
12/01/2019Happy Thanksgiving Valerie,
I know what you mean. I have seen so many kind and generous people in my life, it astounds me to see we are still having trouble getting along. I see acts of kindness almost every day...sure, some are not big giant filling a dream or wish acts, but still kindnesses. For example, when my wife and I went to the grocery store a young kid held the door open for a lady parked in the handicap spot. He just handed her all her groceries to her, and then took the cart back inside. When I caught up to him and told him he was a gentleman. He laughed.
"No big deal Mister. She could have been my Mom."
And that is how kind people think!
Smiles, Kevin
Help Us Understand What's Happening
.jpeg)
Ed DeRousse
11/29/2019Kevin, another great story. You took your audience from minor irritation to a little more irritation to great inspiration and hope. When the dapper man two decades out of fashion showed up at Bryan's door, I suspected something good was going to happen. But I did not expect that he would show up with anything more than a temporary fix.
Kevin, I always appreciate your attention to detail.
Help Us Understand What's Happening
.jpeg)
Kevin Hughes
11/29/2019Thank you, Ed,
I like kindness. I wish I had the wherewithal to be the dapper man two decades out of date. But smiles? I never run out of those! Happy Thanksgiving, Kevin
Help Us Understand What's Happening
.jpeg)
JD
11/13/2018I wish that every act of kindness and giving was returned ten-fold in real life. But hopefully the real life good feeling you get when you know you have made someone's day or life better is enough to sustain most givers and good Samaritans. In this case, it was a lovely return of help when it was most needed. Another inspirational heart warmer! Thanks, Kevin! : )
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
.jpeg)
JD
11/29/2019You have earned all the 'promotions' you have received, Kevin, and then some! Best to clean out some more space for your ego to reside! THANK YOU for all the beautiful heart warming inspirational stories you've shared with us! :-)
Help Us Understand What's Happening
.jpeg)
Kevin Hughes
11/29/2019Jd, Wow, thanks for putting this up. I read it myself, and the tears just came on their own. You do so much to promote my work...another StoryStar Award. I am running out of space in my Ego to put all this stuff. LOL
But I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Smiles, Kevin
Help Us Understand What's Happening
.jpeg)
Help Us Understand What's Happening
.jpeg)
Help Us Understand What's Happening
.jpeg)
Kevin Hughes
11/10/2018Thanks Gail. I may have exaggerated the return on kindness a tad. But then again, if you do something kind and expect something in return, it isn't really kindness- is it? Wait, what is this? Philosophy at seven AM? LOL
Smiles, Kevin
COMMENTS (4)