An odd thing happened at the gas station
So yesterday morning I left for work a little early to stop and fill my gas tank since I was just below 1/8 and I usually fill it at 1/4. Just as I finished filling the tank and was entering the odometer reading, price, and gallons into my https://market.android.com/details?id=com.zonewalker.acar&hl=en">aCar tracking app, A man calls out to me from the other side of my car: "Hey, do you eat at the Olive Garden?"
I looked around to make sure he was talking to me. He clearly was so I looked back and said, tentatively, "um, sometimes? Yes?" He then held up two gift cards. He explained that it was all he had on him and he really needed gas. He didn't have any cash or credit cards, just the gift cards. He said he'd sell them to me for $15 each, which was $10 off the face value. He offered to let me call the number on the back to check the balance on the cards.
I knew already that I only had a $20 in my wallet (I don't carry much cash) and I've been the one with no money at the gas station trying to enlist the aid of strangers before (in my much younger days, thankfully) and I know what it's like. I told him I'd give him $20 for one of the cards, and that I didn't need to call the number. I didn't say it, but my thought was either the card is good, and I just got $5 off at Olive Garden, or the card is not good, and I helped a guy out for $20 which really isn't all that much money. Not really a down side to the decision.
He was really thankful and went back to his car. Then his head popped up over the top of his car and he asked me "do you go to CVS?" and I said "yeah, usually...?" and he said "Here, I have a 30% off coupon for CVS. You can have it," and he gave me the receipt coupon for 30% off. I guess because I'd given him $5 more than he had asked for for the gift card, I don't know.
The whole thing was just kind of odd. I hope I helped the guy out.