On Paying it Forward (Or, I'm gonna win this thing if it kills me)

Gotta admit. I'm not usually one for blogfests and contests, but this one's got me going gaga over trying to earn all the points possible. And there are LOTS of points possible to earn. It's B. Miller's Pay it Forward contest. If you're a writer, this is definitely up your alley. His rules:

The grand prize for this giveaway is the winner's choice. EITHER a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble (or Borders, Amazon, etc - whichever you prefer) sent directly to your preferred mail receptacle, OR...
If you are a writer with published work available for purchase, B. Miller will buy your novel/story collection/chapbook, etc., up to a value of $25. He will also read your work and give a review on your chosen website, as well as a review and a plug on his blog, Twitter, and Facebook fan page. He will go to his local library and booksellers and ask that your work be stocked on their local shelves in Greenville, South Carolina. And, if you're willing, he will do a guest feature on his blog for you, complete with interview and links to your media.

As I said, there are many ways to get points. Best to check out his Pay it Forward post to learn the details. But one of the things I must do, apart from promoting B. Miller's contest, is to post a story about a time I paid it forward.  And I begin...

Last year while in my local supermarket, I was checking out when I heard an older woman complaining about her condo shuttle being delayed. She was upset because all her groceries were bagged and she was worried the perishables would spoil if she had to wait too long.

The manager was trying to console her, but the woman was becoming more agitated by the moment. As soon as my groceries were bagged, I asked her if I could take her home. She must have been well in her 80s and looked at me as if I had magically appeared to save her day. The look alone made me feel I had done the right thing by offering, even if she refused.

But she accepted.

Her name was Ruth, she told me. I loaded her groceries and headed for the general part of town where all the condos are, but guess what? Ruth didn't know exactly where she lived since she didn't drive and relied on the shuttle to take her places. So in the end, it still took her about 20 minutes to get home since I had to shoot up every street and ask her if it looked familiar. Eventually we hit the jackpot, and she recognized her building. I unloaded her groceries and carried them to the first floor unit where Ruth gave me a warm hug and told me I was her angel.

As I drove the ten minutes it would take me to get home, I didn't care what had happened to my own perishables because I knew Ruth would have a nice evening.

So there you have it, may pay-it-forward story. Feeling motivated to make your own pay it forward moment? I hope so.