An Unexpected Lift

I saw a guy walking alone today as I left a local shopping center. He was in the empty section of the parking lot past where any cars were located. He was only ten feet or so away from me as I drove past him. While his direction indicated he was leaving the area, I had no idea where he was going. I studied him for a moment and something about his demeanor made me decide to offer him a ride. So, I stopped and asked if he needed a lift.

Although I was headed for home, I prepared myself to go a little out of my way if need be to help this fellow. I really wasn't certain if he even wanted a ride, but for some reason I thought I should ask. As soon as he accepted my offer I knew I had made the right decision. This guy was genuinely thankful for the assistance and eagerly made his way over to the passenger side of the Jeep. From the way he spoke and carried himself I quickly surmised that he was a young man with down-syndrome.

George and I introduced ourselves to one another as he literally hopped up into the passenger side of the Jeep. Now both my wife and my mom have clumsily climbed into my Jeep before, but the way George approached manuvering himself into his seat was the most awkward attempt I had ever seen. He started to just jump on in before he realilzed how high a step up that required. Then he found a purchase to help hoist himself up off the ground only to find he had gotten all turned around on the way up. He finally righted himself in the seat without too much effort. As awkward as that small struggle to sit down had been, it was actually quite charming to watch.

After getting situated, George indicated he was on his way to GameStop. GameStop was located in the shopping center across the street. It was only about 200 yards away. In the time I spent waiting at the stoplight to cross the street he could have been half way there already. I probably only saved him a minute of time he would have spent walking, but I think George appreciated the ride nonetheless. It seemed to thrill him that he had received such an unexpected favor.

We conversed while waiting for the light to change green. George told me a little about his work at Old Navy. I had just come from there and he was pleased to hear I had found a good deal on the clearance rack. "You should always buy stuff off the clearance rack," he told me, "because it's the cheapest." Then he quickly admonished me to hold onto my tags and my receipt in case I ever needed them. "I always tell my customers to keep the receipt," he said. "In case you don't like what you bought, you will want to bring it back to the store with the receipt."

Now, I was the one who became thrilled for having received such an unexpected favor. I couldn't help but to smile as we continued our short conversation about video games, the neighborhood nearby, and speculations of what kind of store might soon be opening in a newly remodeled building just up the road. George brought a smile to my face simply because he was so appreciative of this chance encounter to converse with someone else. The ride was welcomed, but I think he enjoyed the company more so.

As I dropped him off at his destination I was reminded of how hospitality should really work. We always view hospitality as just giving graciously of oneself to another. George demonstrated how equally important is the recipient's response to joyfully accept an invitation. Hospitality is as much about welcoming as it is about receiving welcome: only in accepting the courtesy does an act's generous intentions find their greatest fulfillment.

I'm glad I decided to stop in that parking lot. I could easily have continued past a man walking alone and just driven home. If I had, we both would have missed an opportunity for a friendly encounter. I'm also glad George chose to share that ride with me. He could easily have declined my offer of assistance and gone on his merry way without my help. If he had, we both would have been robbed of a little goodwill today.

Instead, as it happened, we both received an unexpected lift.