Back in January, I was sitting in my truck at a stoplight when I noticed a man standing by the road with a cardboard sign. In big letters, it said, “Need a little help. Will pay it forward.”
I pulled over and told him that I usually gave food instead of money, but this time I handed him a few folded bills with my real estate business card tucked inside. I figured if he ever needed help finding a place to stay, he’d have my number.
The way his sign was worded made me unsure if he was homeless or just going through a rough patch. I never caught his name, but his face stuck with me. I remembered his worn-out clothes, the cold air that day, and how his dog was wrapped in blankets while he stood there shivering. I also remembered the quiet look of embarrassment in his eyes when I handed him the money. I said a small prayer for him before driving away.
Months later, I was at work when I got a call from a man asking to see one of our listings. He had specifically asked for me. We set up an appointment, and I headed to the address after leaving the office.
When I pulled into the driveway, the first thing I saw was a happy, chubby dog sticking its head out of a truck window. I recognized that dog right away. Then the man stepped out, clean-shaven, wearing a crisp shirt, jeans, and boots. It took me a second to realize it was the same person I had met at the stoplight.
For a moment, I wondered if I had been fooled, but then he walked up to me with a smile, his eyes filled with tears. He reached out his hand and handed me three fresh bills wrapped around my old, wrinkled business card.
I was too stunned to speak. He explained that earlier in the year, his ex-wife had left him, taking nearly everything he owned except his dog. He didn’t need a handout—just a little help to get back on his feet. Since then, he had found a new job as an engineer, bought a new truck, and started rebuilding his life. He was looking at the house for a friend and said he wanted to keep his promise to “pay it forward,” just like his sign had said.
That night reminded me that we never really know what someone else is going through. It’s easy to make assumptions without understanding the story behind what we see.
Before I left, I said another quiet prayer for him—this time, one of gratitude.