Offramp from the Casino:

It was a dark evening in the dead of winter. It wasn’t that cold but there was a bit of snow on the ground. The casino was located about 150km north of the city. He had a small part-time job in the city but made a living on his winnings that he made from the casino. That night had been a particularly good night for him. Not that he had made much money. But, he was just feeling good. He was feeling relatable. That evening, he spent at the poker table, where he made a total of 100$. He was wearing his plaid jacket that he had gotten on his journeys out west. He was very glad that he wore it because it was getting very cold as the night progressed. He had recently washed it and the smell it gave off of the fresh laundry detergent was pleasing to him. And now, as he drove along the highway back into the city, he listened eagerly to the music on the radio, singing along in broken syllables as he deliberating from the past word choice in the lyrics, what the next lyric would be. Quite often, he got it wrong. It didn’t dampen his mood. He adjusted the heat in the car until it was very warm. And taking off his jacket, he placed it on the seat next to him. His mind raced as he drove. And before he was aware, he was pulling off the offramp to where he lived. Slowing his car at the red light at the end of the offramp, he looked out the window when he saw a man, standing in a thin, long sleeved shirt at the side of the road. As his car stopped this man approached his car and asked him for money. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled some change, which he placed in his hands. The light turned green and he drove off. As he was driving to his house, he felt his heart melt a little as he speculated how lucky he had been that night. He drove until he reached the garage behind his house where it was put on his heart to return to the offramp where the man asked for money. It was late already and he wondered what this man was doing out so late. He took the one hundred dollar bill from his pocket and placed it inside the pocket of the plaid jacket on the passenger seat. And then, driving past the offramp, he didn’t see this man the first time passing. He drove for a while in the other direction and then, turning the car around, he returned once more to the offramp where he saw him, working his way between the stopped cars. He pulled his car over to the side of the road where he stopped and beckoned to him to approach him. When he looked into the car, the man passed him the jacket. “It’s cold. You may need it more than me.” When he went to thank him, he shook his head softly and continued, “There’s something in the pocket. I hope you can find a place to stay tonight. God bless you, my friend. God loves you.” He drove away slowly but in his rear view mirror, he was able to watch as the man reached into the pockets of the jacket. He watched pleasantly as the smile built quickly on the man’s face in the mirror. - From my Book Fables of Good Will.