2nd chance -- in more ways than one*

I am in Washington D.C. with the kids (here for a Seminarians 4 Choice conference -- turned it into a mini-vacation -- we are here for 3 nights). We had dinner tonight in Georgetown, then went to a 9:45 p.m. showing of "Accepted" (hokey teen film, but still fun) and caught a cab home. Arrived at the hotel at 11:52, but noticed a 24-hour CVS on the way back to the hotel. The cabbie offered to drive me back there, no charge, and the kids went up to the room without me. I wanted to get some REAL milk (instead of non-dairy creamer) for my hotel bathroom coffee tomorrow morning. On the way into the CVS, I overheard one man on the sidewalk asking another man entering the store if he could spare any change.

While in the store, I decided to buy some jam (to go on the bread we brought home from the restaurant) and some cereal and plastic bowls and spoons (and extra milk) so we could have breakfast in the room tomorrow morning. I paid by credit card, and looked in my change purse for extra change. All I had was a $5 bill, and I thought that was too much money to give to a man on the sidewalk -- if he was even still outside when I left. He was. He asked me for a quarter. I told him I had no spare CHANGE, and that was true.

I walked back to the hotel, and got there by midnight, and while unloading my groceries (that I spent over $12 for), I realized I did not have the cereal box. I had put it down while finding plastic bowls and spoons, and had not picked it up again. I walked back to the store, and the man was still there on the sidewalk -- this time sitting on a crate instead of standing by the door. He asked me if I would have any change for him when I came out. I told him that I would. This was my 2nd chance!

I went into the store and found "my" cereal box on the paper product shelf where I left it. I went to pay, figuring the box must be about $5, so I was going to use my $5 bill. The cashier asked me if I had a CVS card (I'm not sure if she recognized me or not -- since I had checked out 15 mins. previously, I had changed my clothes and put up my hair), and I said I did not. She punched into the cash register that I DID have a CVS card, and the box of cereal now cost me $1.77. I now had change!

I thanked her for the discount, and left. When I left the store, the man barely looked up at me, but I leaned down and put $3 in his hand. (I don't know why $5 was too much, and why $3 was not. I don't know if I forgot that cereal box for a reason. I do know I was glad to have a 2nd chance to give some money to someone who could use it. I don't know why I didn't give him the remaining 23 cents -- the pennies seemed paltry, I suppose.) The man thanked me and told me to have a nice night. I told him he was welcome and that he should have a nice night too. I walked back to the hotel feeling good as I mulled this over. I had spent $158 on dinner for 3 of us (over priced snooty restaurant) and $23 for a movie, and $12 for groceries. $3 was little enough to give to a man who may not have eaten today. And even if he used the money for some illicit habit, $3 is little enough to give to a man whose only pleasure in this life is that very habit. Easing suffering -- whether it's a pit in the stomach or a sense of despair in the soul....

*The first time I typed this on my oldest's iBook, it somehow vanished. I am a Dell PC user. God knows why I needed a 2nd chance at typing THIS. Maybe more time for mulling.... Thanks, God!