Friday, June 22, 2012

I woke up this morning thinking about the events of yesterday. Soon after consuming two cups of black coffee and a bowl of Lucky Charms I went back to the apartment complex armed with several McDouble’s and some sweet tea. I couldn’t stand the thought of those boys going hungry no matter how many bad choices they had made. Grace, her friend Madi, and Isabell rode with me. Grace and Madi wanted to take the food and drinks to the boys. Soon after they were standing on the stoop where the police officer stood yesterday, the boys brother came to the door. He took the burgers and drinks and sat them inside the doorway. He yelled out toward me, “Hey, I got your bike back.” He held up a finger motioning for me to wait a minute. In just a few seconds, he came out of the door with Austin’s orange bicycle. I told him, “Thanks, you’re a good kid.” He smiled. We loaded the bike into the car and all sat quietly for a few minutes. I hadn’t planned on getting the bicycle back; I just wanted to buy some food for some kids I thought might be hungry. On our way home, Madi said, “It made me feel good to give him that food.” And I replied, “me too.”

As I drove up to the house with Austin’s bike, I began blowing the car horn repeatedly. I was so excited to show Austin his bicycle. As I got it out of the car, he looked closely at some of the changes that had been made. The stickers had been removed, but he was glad to see metal Huffy tag had been left on the front. The tires were new, with white walls, and there were more spokes on the wheels that I could even begin to count. The valve caps on the tires had even been replaced with decorative 8-balls. He sat on it, rode it around a few minutes and said, “I think I like it better.” We all laughed. Mandy said, “Hey Austin, your bike got 'tricked out' and you didn’t even know it.” Melissa, Cole, and Austin’s bitterness toward the boys who had stolen their bikes had been transformed into laughter when they looked at the new additions that embellished Austin’s Huffy.

“Pay it forward.” If we do nice things for other people, and they do nice things for other people; then a cycle is created: a cycle of goodness. And that in itself is a great thing.

Melissa, Austin, Cole, and Kalel visited for most of the day. Swimming, jumping on the trampoline, and eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Brandi came by to pick up Kalel around 2:00, but he asked to spend another night with Melissa. She said, “Okay.” Madi is spending another night with us as well.

Arnold visited this evening and is talking about getting a Kindle Fire for Nathan. He enjoyed seeing that it was very similar to an iPad and a lot less expensive.

All in all, a great day…6 visitors today, 245 in all