Good deeds are indeed rewarded
On Monday December 15th, I had started out my day as normal as I was able. I had called in sick the previous day, but luckily Mondays are my scheduled day off. So, an unexpected 2-day weekend arose. I did some Christmas shopping and made bill payments, got a haircut and thought nothing of a few mundane tasks.
Normally, I like seeing people smile, so when I hop off the bus at the subway station closest to my house, if I am traveling alone, I grab the door and hold it until all the passengers from the bus have entered the subway station. I'm usually greeted with surprise that someone still does something nice, or thank you's.
On the 15th though, someone said to me, "Your good deeds will not go unrewarded, young man! Thank you!" It made me smile and I responded with, "Good deeds are their own reward of course, ma'am," she smiled and nodded and said, "Never turn away any extra thanks though. You never know."
So, I sort of smiled and after that moment I sort of shrugged it off with a smile, feeling better about myself as I usually do for a kind deed helping folks rush about their ways. The trip I was taking on the subway that very hour was to go to my Monday night pool league. The night was very uneventful and unlucky. from our 9 games, we lost all but one. Though we had fun with the shots being made and the sportsmanship for our league is unprecedented and very cheerful.
Here's where the night turns back to the reward though. On my way home from Bay and Charles, I decided to take a walk through the Manulife Center and all the underground passages of a closed and quiet mall. It was near 30 mile an hour winds and extremely cold, so I thought this a nice route.
Whereupon under Bay Street and Bloor, I came across 4 people fidgeting and fussing, moving and trying to pry open a store door. Huge sliding glass one at that. There was someone trapped inside their own store. Seemed the lock malfunctioned and locked them in. So, I walked over while they were pushing and noticed the door had slid off it's track, putting what I figured was a good extra 40 lbs of pressure on the locking mechanism. So I helped out and lifted and helped pry. To no avail though.
The security guard had went to fetch a sledge hammer to break out one of the smaller panes of glass to work the lock and the store owner was on the outside, as the clerk inside had called them first and they were really not interested in breaking the glass. Everyone there assumed I was part of some task force or locksmith as I just jumped in helping. I had set my pool cue and jacket aside to help. I said, "Now before we break the glass, let's do what I was taught to do with an impassable problem," and they looked at me and I took 6 steps back and said, "Take a bigger look at the picture," and I scanned the door frame.......
The bottom Right Hand Corner of the metal encased door of course was securely fastened to the wooden framing of the store front, except....for a 3/4" X 2" piece of wood that looked out of place...so....I wriggled it free, pulled it out completely and slid a pair of pliers in to the girl who then used it to help twist the nearly broken lock open.
Everyone was astounded at the clarity and calmness I showed in resolving the problem. The store.....was an upscale super-high priced Belgian Chocolate store. The store owner said, "Oh thank you....do you work here?" I said no. "Are you security?" No. "Do you know anything about locks?" No. "Why did you stop and help?" my response, "It looked like you needed help,"
So, she gave me a huge hug and for myself and the four people involved, we each received a Kilogram of chocolates valued at around 60 bucks. (Tasty too!)
Let me say that somewhere along the line, doing what comes natural to everyone: Just Lending a Hand
will help you out just as much.
Merry Christmas everyone and never be afraid to lend a hand, the results may surprise.
Zealand Kanga
Normally, I like seeing people smile, so when I hop off the bus at the subway station closest to my house, if I am traveling alone, I grab the door and hold it until all the passengers from the bus have entered the subway station. I'm usually greeted with surprise that someone still does something nice, or thank you's.
On the 15th though, someone said to me, "Your good deeds will not go unrewarded, young man! Thank you!" It made me smile and I responded with, "Good deeds are their own reward of course, ma'am," she smiled and nodded and said, "Never turn away any extra thanks though. You never know."
So, I sort of smiled and after that moment I sort of shrugged it off with a smile, feeling better about myself as I usually do for a kind deed helping folks rush about their ways. The trip I was taking on the subway that very hour was to go to my Monday night pool league. The night was very uneventful and unlucky. from our 9 games, we lost all but one. Though we had fun with the shots being made and the sportsmanship for our league is unprecedented and very cheerful.
Here's where the night turns back to the reward though. On my way home from Bay and Charles, I decided to take a walk through the Manulife Center and all the underground passages of a closed and quiet mall. It was near 30 mile an hour winds and extremely cold, so I thought this a nice route.
Whereupon under Bay Street and Bloor, I came across 4 people fidgeting and fussing, moving and trying to pry open a store door. Huge sliding glass one at that. There was someone trapped inside their own store. Seemed the lock malfunctioned and locked them in. So, I walked over while they were pushing and noticed the door had slid off it's track, putting what I figured was a good extra 40 lbs of pressure on the locking mechanism. So I helped out and lifted and helped pry. To no avail though.
The security guard had went to fetch a sledge hammer to break out one of the smaller panes of glass to work the lock and the store owner was on the outside, as the clerk inside had called them first and they were really not interested in breaking the glass. Everyone there assumed I was part of some task force or locksmith as I just jumped in helping. I had set my pool cue and jacket aside to help. I said, "Now before we break the glass, let's do what I was taught to do with an impassable problem," and they looked at me and I took 6 steps back and said, "Take a bigger look at the picture," and I scanned the door frame.......
The bottom Right Hand Corner of the metal encased door of course was securely fastened to the wooden framing of the store front, except....for a 3/4" X 2" piece of wood that looked out of place...so....I wriggled it free, pulled it out completely and slid a pair of pliers in to the girl who then used it to help twist the nearly broken lock open.
Everyone was astounded at the clarity and calmness I showed in resolving the problem. The store.....was an upscale super-high priced Belgian Chocolate store. The store owner said, "Oh thank you....do you work here?" I said no. "Are you security?" No. "Do you know anything about locks?" No. "Why did you stop and help?" my response, "It looked like you needed help,"
So, she gave me a huge hug and for myself and the four people involved, we each received a Kilogram of chocolates valued at around 60 bucks. (Tasty too!)
Let me say that somewhere along the line, doing what comes natural to everyone: Just Lending a Hand
will help you out just as much.
Merry Christmas everyone and never be afraid to lend a hand, the results may surprise.
Zealand Kanga