*Featured image contains photo by Timur Weber and Pixabay
“Did anybody see that?!”
The man shouts, left stunned and confused, yet no one steps to help him. Little does he know, it sets off a series of events that change his life forever.
A Random Metro Meet
We often hear about unsavory encounters people have on their daily commute, often involving the homeless, unkept, and aggressive.
Yet sometimes, the tables turn and it’s the homeless person approached by a passerby without warning. As you’ll shortly see, it can be just as jarring.
Next to the buzzing shuffle of commuters past the metro turnstile is Raymond. He’s sitting on his backpack, his winter coat closed tightly to shelter him from the chill. In front of him is what appears to be a rolled-up brown fast food bag, which might be his ration for the day.
“Hey man, what’s your name?” the stranger asks him.
After he replies, the stranger pulls out a paper and says, “Raymond, can you read that for me?”
When Raymond replies that he’s unable to read or write, the stranger sighs, unfolds the paper and says, “Alright, we’ll read it together.”
With that, Raymond stands up to hear the unexpected.
A Man’s Note and Surprise
Once the stranger reads the contents of the note to Raymond, he seems to relax and open up. He says that he was abandoned for 12 years, and that he has no children or family.
Although he’s illiterate, what the man reads to him is so powerful, that Raymond asks if he can have the note, and he hands it to him, saying, “It was for you.”
It’s at that point, with the motivation to do more, that the stranger takes something out of his pocket.
“Nah, I don’t believe it – you playing!” he responds, stunned.
“I’m not playing,” the stranger replies.
That’s when the stranger hands it to Raymond, prompting him to cry, “Did anybody see that?!”
A Stranger’s Identity Is Revealed
Fast forward to the future. Raymond is sitting down eating on a park bench when he hears an unmistakable voice.
“Raymond, is that you?!”
“BOND!” he shouts.
It’s not James Bond, but Peter Bond. And while he’s not 007, he’s known online as ‘Mr $1 Bill.’ Bond is known for his viral videos of lifting those who are down and out.
When he sees him, Raymond begins to tell Bond excitedly about the impact his gesture to him on the metro that day had on his life.
“I got my life together, I’m in a shelter now, bought me some clothes, got me shaved, haircut and everything,” he shares.
But that’s not it.
“I’ve been doing good, I even found me a job! They gave me the boots, the hat, the gloves and everything! So now I found me a job, the only thing I’m waiting for is my Osha card (An occupational safety course)”
Before they part, Raymond reminds him just what an impact Bond made.
“That helped me a lot, I really appreciate it man. I take it from the heart, you helped me a lot!”
They then share a long hug before parting ways, forever changed.
One Man Proves Kindness Can Change Lives
True to his name, that day on the metro, Bond handed Raymond dollars bills, 500 of them to be exact. It’s what helped him get clothes and clean up.
However, what really kept Raymond going was the note that Bond gave him. He said that although he’d lost it on a train, he would always remember what it read when he needed motivation.
If you think about it every day, don’t give up on it.
Imagine, a dozen words can carry the human spirit a million miles. Speaking to Ladbible, Bond says that his outlook on life is pretty simple: “You can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”
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