Paying Gasoline Forward 

We were at the racetrack a few weeks back.  I was at the gas pump and I had heard that the gas pump computers had been acting up.  A young gent of about 22 was participating at a motorcycle race on the South course of the racetrack and was there at the pumps during lunch preparing his bike for the afternoon sprint races.  He tried paying with his credit card and it didn’t work and neither did his girlfriend’s card.  I could tell he was getting a little anxious as his race would be starting soon.  I went over and told him he couldn’t miss his race and simply swiped my card.  For whatever reason my card worked (later in the day when I tried to purchased gas mine didn’t work either). 

He didn’t have the cash to reimburse me and I was actually glad he didn’t.  I asked him if he had ever seen the movie Pay-It-Forward.  He said he hadn’t, but his girlfriend said she knew it.  I explained the idea to the young cyclist and he said he would pay it forward. 

Later that day John (we had introduced ourselves) came back over to where we were set up and tried to reimburse me for the gasoline.  He told me he understood what I was trying to do, but really didn’t think he should accept my gift.  We got to talking for about 30 minutes and I had the chance to explain more fully how it was impossible for me to be paid back.  That simply wasn’t the way it works.  I got to know a bit more about John and his family, his hobbies.  I also saw in him a growing understanding and true appreciation for how we were changing the way people view their opportunities to help one another – even in small ways.