NPR Story

I heard this pretty amazing story on NPR today that I thought I would recount here. A gentleman from the Bronx was taking his hour long subway ride home one night. He would always get off at the stop before his and have supper at the same diner every night. This particular night he was held up at knife point for his wallet. He gave it to the kid, and as the kid was walking away the guy basically said hey, if you're going to be out robbing people all night you had better take my coat too so you don't get cold, much to the young kid's astonishment who didn't know what to say. The guy then talked the kid into having dinner with him at the diner.

As they ate, the manager, waiters, dish washers, everyone came by to say hello to the gentleman. The kid, once again astonished asked why he was nice to everyone, even the busboys. The guy simply said that he was taught to be nice to everyone no matter what, wasn't he? The kid replied yes, but he didn't know that people actually acted that way. When they finished eating the guy said look, I'd love to treat you to this dinner, but seeing as how you have my wallet, I'm afraid you'll have to pay. The kid gave him his wallet back without question.

As they left, the guy handed the kid a twenty dollar bill and said he could have it if he gave him the knife. The kid took the twenty in exchange for the knife and they parted ways. One can't help but to think that that was potentially a life changing moment for that kid. He probably never had anyone just treat him like a person that mattered before. Hopefully he learned something from this unusual encounter and will use it for something good in the future.

The guy ended the interview with something that was pretty inspiring, and gave me a little hope, he said: "You treat people right, and you can only hope that they will treat you right. It is as simple as it gets in this complicated world." Complicated indeed, made a little less by people like this man. Thank you.