To the guy at the gas station this evening

My credit card has been through the wash. Twice. The chip doesn't quite sit in there just right anymore. Sometimes, it declines, and declines, and declines until the EMV lets me swipe instead of insert. The cashier knows this, I go there a lot. I know this. But you didn't know this. I stepped back to let you go ahead of me because it can be time consuming and I didn't want you to wait. It is, after all, my fault because I really need to order a new card and just haven't gotten around to it.

Then you paid for my stuff and just smiled when I objected. I definitely didn't expect that from you. You were probably 15 years younger than me and dressed in sweatpants.

I've given my leftovers away to homeless people. I've paid for people's gas before. Hell I've even paid someone's rent this year. I've paid for groceries numerous times. Because I've been there and in the last 10 years, luck has made it so that I am able to help others. But the feeling when someone goes out of their way to do something for you is pretty uplifting

This year sucks, for everyone. But that 12.68 you spent – a tin of Skoal and 2 energy drinks- reminded me that it's the holidays and put me in a far better mood than I was in earlier. Even though I'm a transplant from the far reaches of remote northern Michigan, time and time again I get hit with that Houston love.

Tomorrow, I'm gonna go out and pay it forward.

Happy Holidays Everyone

​

(PS if Santa's out there I'd like a job and my student loans paid off lmao)