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Saturday, April 2, 2011

Pay it Forward

Last week was so bad and yet the last few days have been so great I keep thinking life is so great. Let me start a few days back with Rob. Rob walks up to me and says “I’m going to give you $50 and I want you to ‘Pay it forward’” I didn’t understand at first then he said “give it out and help people and watch it come back to you” Now right away I said “I help people all the time I know I’ll give free magazines out” Then I thought no I can’t because that’s good today but some may think they will always get free magazines and complain to me or other vendors to get free magazines.

So how can I use this money to ‘Pay it forward’ Help someone and ask them to help others in return? I thought about just putting the money in my pocket and keeping it for rent but then I’d feel guilty because it wouldn’t be right. So in the end I thought the best way to use it is to get 10 $5 notes and I walked around and gave them to homeless people saying “I’m going to give you $5 to do a future good deed for someone and when you do ask them to do a good deed for someone else. Now I will say a few didn’t understand at first what I meant but was happy to take the $5. Now I did this for 9 people thinking the last one was for me and I’d do something for someone and ask them to do a good deed for someone else. But no it wasn’t meant to be. Ha ha. I was walking home and someone which I had bought food and drinks for in the past asked if I would be doing it again today. I handed him the $5 and ask him to do a good deed.

Rob was right “Pay it forward” helps people to think of others and in my book that’s great. I hope the people I gave the $5 to does do something good for someone else because it would come back many times over.

The next morning I was given $50 dollars tip towards my rent. (I’m not mentioning name as I’ve not asked permission to do so.) But I know she reads my blog so I’ll say this “Thank you very much because of your help it made it easier to pay the rent on Friday. I really hope something good comes to you and all the other people that bought my magazines or gave me a tip.”

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Now this I’m sure I wouldn’t be the only one to have a story like this. (I hope) ha ha.
There I was being a good guy and working selling my magazines. Ha ha. I stopped a lady and she bought a magazine and I went into the “Thank you and I hope you have a nice day” when she looked me into the eye’s and said “I think we went out about 15 years ago.” Then asked me if I’d been in? (Keeping that to myself) Oh my heart stopped there and then thinking very fast. Ha-ha I asked her to take her sunglasses off so I could see her face. Which she did, I looked and straight away I’m thinking oh no I’m in trouble, you see 15 years ago I traveled a lot and um meet a lot of ladies. I’m not saying I’m a stud but I am saying um 15 years ago was along time ago and I have a bad memory of most of it, like really what do you say to something like that. Say yes and it may not be true or say no and maybe look like I’m lying and won’t admit being with her and being a jerk if it’s true.

The truth is she looked like someone from my past but really I just didn’t know, like it was 15 years ago and let me say a lot has happened in that time. So I ask the only question that came to mind. “Was I polite?” with a smile, which she said “yes” now I’m really trying to think. Like this lady was beautiful and most guy’s would be proud to scream “YES” Ha-ha but I’m not like that if it wasn’t true. The fact was I really didn’t know. We chattered a bit for another minute and exchange numbers. I have often said “stay in one spot long enough you see the world but they come to you.”

If you read this then I want you to know I left things out so no-one would know it was you unless you want to tell them.

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Oh have I got great news. The mega-site is building well and will be ready for my birthday party on the 28th April at the pub under Central Railway Station on ann St after 3 until late and of course everyone is welcome. I’d love to meet everyone I’ve not meet and the ones I do know. Remember the only gift I want is a huge smile and a hand shake or maybe a kiss on the check (girls only) ha ha.

I got a JOB yes a job working a few hours a night on weeknight working for a call centre. Now this is a great start. A few hours turn into more hours and next thing you know I’ll be working full time again. Like let’s face it I’m a great guy to have around and once they get to know me they’ll never want me to leave. Ha ha. I know there’s going to be a lot of people want me to continue here with the work I’m doing with the homeless. Let me say “After really being one of them and going through everything that I’ll always help the homeless no-matter what I did for a job.


I paid my first weeks rent and really it felt great. Thank you to all that bought my magazines and tips.

Now the next bit I’m still a bit unsure about but I’m doing it. I have allowed someone to set up a Donation Box on my blog. It users Paypal so it’s safe. It’s so people can donate to my writing this blog and with the cost and with extra money I can help so many others including myself. I don’t want to sound like a bum asking for money so please if you don’t then really it’s all good. I do great work without it, but with a few donations I can help many others.

I hope you all have a great day and remember sometimes saying “hi” to someone at the right time could change someone’s life for the better. That ‘Pay it Forward’ works because really if people walk around thinking what’s something nice I can do for someone today could change someone’s view on life forever.

Have a great day and remember being polite cost nothing.
Grant the Polite Guy.

2 comments:

  1. as far as my thinking, I thought the 'pay it forward' thing isnt about money, its if someone does something nice, you do something nice to someone else, doesnt have to be money, could be helping someone carry something - i dont usually come into the city, but was there last Saturday, love the big issue used to buy it in the UK.

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  2. Hi Gem, Well in a way it wasn't really about money. I gave $5 to 10 homeless people and asked them to do something nice for someone and to tell that person to do something nice for someone else.

    P.S I found out I can comment here to.

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