5:30 Sunday morning I was at a gas station filling up and getting ice for a cooler, preparing for a day with family and friends on the river.
After I pumped gas I went up to the convenience store to buy the ice. There was a small elderly guy inside making coffee, he looked in my direction as I walked to the door. I went up and tried to open it, discovering that he had locked himself in. It occurred to me that he locked the door for a very legitimate reason. Through the door I said I would like to buy ice, I guess I don’t look too sketchy because he unlocked the door and let me in.
Mohammed and I talked for about ten minutes, he asked about my plans for the day, I let him know we were going to spend the day on the river. I did not ask about his day assuming that after locking himself in a gas station booth all night he would sleep all day. I did learn that he spends six nights a week locked in a Mobil station and works another job during the day to support himself and his wife.
After our conversation and paying for the ice I headed to the door, as I put my hand on it I realized that my day with my family was a distant dream for him. I turned back around, went over to him and asked if he could take his wife to lunch for me? Then I gave him cash to do it.
Looking at life from another’s perspective makes me incredibly grateful.
– Matt West
