Paper & Ink
It’s always amazed me what people will do in the pursuit of the almighty dollar.
Yet, I was listening to a recap of a story on an airplane. A school teacher, in a tough neighborhood was talking about her kids. The guy seated beside her asked her about the worst part of being a teacher, and she spoke about underprivileged children coming to school hungry.
She wished she could help, but she wasn’t in the position to buy every kid a meal every day of the school year.
A guy behind her heard her talking and he leaned over the seat, his hand filled with cash. Then her seat mate handed her some more bills. So did another guy, and a woman, and a couple of more people.
She was on the newscast talking about the $ she was going to be able to use to start a program.
I was driving in downtown Buffalo on Thursday, and it was nearin lunchtime. I spotted a older man standing behind a hot dog stand. I parked and headed over.
(Hot dogs are better than salad).
I chatted with the man as he put the onions and mustard on my dogs.
“I’m retired,” he said. “But I’m not getting a ton on social security. I do this three days a week. Works out okay.”
He took his time in making sure that my hot dogs were in good shape.
“Six dollars,” he said.
I handed him a ten and a five.
“It’s only six,” he said, looking confused.
“Have a good day,” I answered.
“No! No!” He yelled, but I was already halfway to my car.
Obviously, I can’t do that too often, but he seemed like a good man.
“THANK YOU!” He screamed out.
Good enough!
I was talking to a college buddy and he mentioned the poor.
“It’s not the poor that we should be ashamed of,” he said. “It’s the ones who think they’re entitled to something for nothing.”
That was a pretty deep thought coming from a guy I’d once seen down a case of beer.
“And it’s not just poor guys who do that. I know a guy who makes great money and he feels like has entitled to cheat on his expenses and get a new vehicle every other year. He thinks he’s owed that!”
Very true.
“And the higher up you go on the ladder the more entitled people are. Free golf. Fancy hotels. Long vacations. Hell, look at that Pruitt dude.”
I was getting a little depressed thinking about it.
“And it’s only paper and ink,” I said.
“Actually it’s not paper.”
I laughed.
“Goofy bastard,” I said. “You’ve actually been thinking since college.”
He laughed too.
“Thinking hurts my head,” he answered.
Yet, I was listening to a recap of a story on an airplane. A school teacher, in a tough neighborhood was talking about her kids. The guy seated beside her asked her about the worst part of being a teacher, and she spoke about underprivileged children coming to school hungry.
She wished she could help, but she wasn’t in the position to buy every kid a meal every day of the school year.
A guy behind her heard her talking and he leaned over the seat, his hand filled with cash. Then her seat mate handed her some more bills. So did another guy, and a woman, and a couple of more people.
She was on the newscast talking about the $ she was going to be able to use to start a program.
I was driving in downtown Buffalo on Thursday, and it was nearin lunchtime. I spotted a older man standing behind a hot dog stand. I parked and headed over.
(Hot dogs are better than salad).
I chatted with the man as he put the onions and mustard on my dogs.
“I’m retired,” he said. “But I’m not getting a ton on social security. I do this three days a week. Works out okay.”
He took his time in making sure that my hot dogs were in good shape.
“Six dollars,” he said.
I handed him a ten and a five.
“It’s only six,” he said, looking confused.
“Have a good day,” I answered.
“No! No!” He yelled, but I was already halfway to my car.
Obviously, I can’t do that too often, but he seemed like a good man.
“THANK YOU!” He screamed out.
Good enough!
I was talking to a college buddy and he mentioned the poor.
“It’s not the poor that we should be ashamed of,” he said. “It’s the ones who think they’re entitled to something for nothing.”
That was a pretty deep thought coming from a guy I’d once seen down a case of beer.
“And it’s not just poor guys who do that. I know a guy who makes great money and he feels like has entitled to cheat on his expenses and get a new vehicle every other year. He thinks he’s owed that!”
Very true.
“And the higher up you go on the ladder the more entitled people are. Free golf. Fancy hotels. Long vacations. Hell, look at that Pruitt dude.”
I was getting a little depressed thinking about it.
“And it’s only paper and ink,” I said.
“Actually it’s not paper.”
I laughed.
“Goofy bastard,” I said. “You’ve actually been thinking since college.”
He laughed too.
“Thinking hurts my head,” he answered.
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