Great way to start the day!

Monday's are poop.  No way around it.  You are still trying to dodge the stench of too many Coronas and questioning the mysterious glitter that you can't seem to scrub off your forehead.  Still, Monday is there and unforgiving!

My Monday started off with an empty gas tank.  Empty to the point that it needed some immediate attention.  So, I pulled into the Sams gas stations closest to my house as they always have the best price.  No, I'm not a member there and don't see the .06 cent discount, but still it's cheaper than the other stations.  As I pull in, it's confirmed that the $3.61 is better than the stations in the hood, so I have made the right call.

I climb outta my vehicle, open up the gas cap and start fumbling through my wallet for my debit card.  Then, from across the way, this old fella is shuffling towards me with a "hi young man, how are you this morning?".  First off, love being called a young man as my back, knees and sudden identification of a possible bald spot reminds me that young is quickly vanishing.  I respond with a "So far, so good!  How are you doin'?".   He said, "i'm on the right side of the turf at 73 years old, so I think I'm doing pretty good!".  Gotta love that response.

As I remove my debit card with the old fella working at the station, he tells me, "hold off young fella, gas is too expensive and I'm gonna give you a discount.".  He then takes HIS membership card and slides it into the reader where it greets us both with a message on the screen proclaiming my .06 cent per gallon discount.  Word!

I thank the man and he says, "next time you're here just holler out, RAY - I need that discount!".  As he shuffled over to the car that was parked next to me to repeat the feat, I filled my tank with a smile on my face.  For the briefest of moments I was reminded of the good 'ol days.  I imagined how it might have been living next door to Andy Griffith and the way things were when courtesy and kindness were present.

I mean, RAY could have just kept his 73 year old body inside of his little station and away from the early morning Denver breeze that carried a bit of a nip.  Yet instead, he opted to get out and help.  Little does Ray know that he didn't just save me .78 cents that day, he reminded me that there is still some of the good stuff out there.  The kind of stuff we as a society need more of.  Kindness, interaction beyond hammering text on iPhones and looking out for one another.  It doesn't always have to be a rat race or competition... there is a time for that.  Hopefully we can remember that the good stuff should strongly overwhelm the nasty and each of us contributes to that effort.  We all need to have more Ray in us!

So, thanks Ray!  Rock on and I will see you in another week or so for that discount!