This day can’t get any worse, but it is just 9 am, he thought to himself as he reversed the car out of the driveway and accelerated down the road.
His head was splitting after the early morning fight with his wife over the credit card bill. Add to it, the pressure of an extremely important presentation at office. I hate this day, I hate my life, he said out aloud before stepping on the brakes at the red light.
As he sat there cribbing, something outside caught his gaze. Sitting on the sidewalk was an old woman with no legs. He hated beggars because he didn’t believe in bad circumstances, he believed in hard work. But this sight made him uneasy. The woman was frail and handicapped–she couldn’t work even if she wanted to. To make it worse, it looked like she hadn’t eaten in days.
Moved by her plight, he got out of the car and walked up to her. He handed her the sandwich that he had packed for lunch and was about to turn back when the old woman tapped him on the legs. He grew uncomfortable; he was in no mood to be embarrassed. He contemplated if he should just walk away.
Reluctantly, he turned. The woman was smiling and holding one half of the sandwich. She said, “You look hungry son. Let’s share.”
The light turned green. Back on the road, he realised his headache was gone. He saw his face in the rear view mirror–he was grinning from ear to ear. It was 9:30 am and the day had turned around.