How To Make $1000 in a single day — there’s a disclaimer in there somewhere
One day some random fellow asked me for money on the street, but I didn’t give him the money immediately. I thought, I have a lot of free time today, so what the heck!
I asked the fellow what he wanted the money for. He said he was hungry and wanted a bite. So, I offered to buy him a meal.
He took me up on my offer; there was a KFC close by so we walked into it and I joined the line with him. I asked him what he wanted to eat and then I ordered and paid for it.
When we received his order, I took it up, walked towards the table, and set the tray down. I waved him ‘Bon Appetit’ (with a bow and all) and wished him well.
At first, he let out a squeal, his bright eyes swelling with tears, and then suddenly his brilliant smile faded. I believe it dawned on him that I had not bought myself anything.
He looked up at me — puzzled — and asked, “are you not going to eat anything?” I was filled with a strange mushiness, but I smiled politely insisting that I had to leave, for something urgent.
Later that day, I thought of the fellow and decided to use my earlier route in hope of seeing him again. Per chance he was hungry again and hadn’t eaten dinner yet.
I combed the streets for him. I even asked the ladies who sold those tiny flowers that the Mexican tourists were so fond of, but nobody had seen him.
After an hour, I was tired, and frankly, now hungry. And there in front of me was that KFC. I commended myself for having put in the effort to find the fellow once again.
I walked in, ordered and paid for it. When my order arrived, I took it straight to the spot where the fellow had sat that morning and set my tray down. I was just about to say a prayer when someone tapped my shoulder.
“I thought you’d never come back”, the voice said. I lifted my head to see who it was, and there by my side stood the fellow. He was certainly him, but noticeably cleaner looking and with an expensive looking jacket. He had on a name tag that read MANAGER.
I smiled and narrated to him how I had come back looking to buy him dinner, in case he hadn’t had any yet, but I couldn’t hold back not asking him if he was still the same fellow, considering his sudden change of appearance.
He looked down at me and smiled, “I do this sometimes, because of where I came from. I was once very poor, so I disguise myself from time to time, just so I can be humble. I don’t want to forget how it feels to be treated poor”.
It was now my turn to feel sad. I thought of all the other fellows begging on my daily commute that I ignored. I thought of how lucky and fortunate I was not to be them. I wondered if I had become proud unknowingly.
The fellow may have noticed my puzzled expression, because in that instant he said, “But you were very kind to me, so please permit me to pay for you meal”. I declined the offer kindly, but he insisted and tucked an envelope quickly under my tray.
He quickly walked out of the restaurant before I could say thank you.
I pulled out the envelope from beneath the tray and opened it. There were ten 100-dollar bills in the envelope. My stunned self stood up with the money and went for the door. I walked out the door and looked around. The street was deserted, and he was nowhere in sight.
I came back inside the KFC and asked the attendants behind the counter whether they knew what time their manager would return. I was desperate to thank him for the money, even if I would not permit me to give it back to him, but they were as puzzled as I was. The KFC was run by a lady who lived in another town, and they had no Manager. They never had.
I returned to the KFC week after week for the next three months asking about the fellow. Yet no one knew of him, nor could remember ever seeing the fellow I described. I searched the streets all around the KFC area, and beyond.
I still haven’t spent the 1000 dollars till this day.
I plan on giving it all out to more such fellows on the street.
