PIF At Minute Maid Park

It was 10:30 on Wednesday night, and I'd been asleep for at least thirty minutes when John and Joshua got home from Minute Maid Park. They'd made a last-minute decision to take in the final game of the season, which was also the Astros last home game in the National League. Joshua really wanted to talk, so when he knocked on the door and asked, You asleep, mom? I forced a little grunt and made myself wake up. 
You know that Pay It Forward bumper sticker on your van? 


Well, someone did that for us tonight and I had steak at the Astros game. Steak? I wondered. My excited yet exhausted teen went on to say that at the ticket booth (no line during a losing season), they walked right up and John had just said the he needed two tickets when a man appeared behind him and offered them two of theirs. Before John could offer to pay, he said they could just have them, that he was paying it forward. Joshua piped up that I had a bumper sticker that said that, so somehow getting those tickets was providential, that it was meant to be. They followed the man and his son into a special entrance, and that's when they glanced down to take a closer look at the treasures they'd just been handed:



My picture's a little blurry, but yep, you're seeing it right . . . the ticket price is $375.00 per ticket. Pretty special, all right. Heck, we wouldn't even pay that for a plane ticket home much less a seat at the Astros game, and John said they were treated to all the food and drinks they wanted and that they ate like crazy in those 
Diamond Club Seats

Joshua told me that he contemplated paying it forward by sharing some steak with the lady sitting across the aisle from them because she didn't have access to their amazing smorgasbord buffet, but he didn't think that'd be right, so he was still thinking about what he would do. And on their way out the door after the 2-0 win, they were served warm chocolate chip cookies and cold chocolate milk to top off a last-minute outing to Minute Maid Park that hit a home run with my boys.

What PIF experience have you been involved in lately?

10 comments

  1. What a great story! I had a man at Starbucks pay for my coffee and he said whenever he travelled he would buy a cup of coffee for the person behind him!
    Rowdy in First Grade

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    1. Hey Jennifer - The cool part about that is it probably makes him feel every bit as good as it made you feel!!

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  2. That's awesome! How wonderful that your son was already thinking about how he was going to pay it forward.
    ❀ Tammy
    Forever in First

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  3. Love this! I haven't paid it forward in a while. Thanks for the reminder! :)

    ~Mimi
    5thGradeRocks5thGradeRules

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    1. My pleasure, Marie. Thanks for stopping by; I've added your blog to my blog roll!

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  4. I have been blessed, but my favorite story was when I was a teen, a guy saved all his change to buy me dinner at a play house. We had to comb his truck for change to pay the tax. Then we found out (after we ordered) that our sodas were extra. We immediately stopped drinking (no such thing as free refills then) and laughed and made jokes about how we would have to wash dishes or mop floors. The best part is we didn't let it get us down, and decided to work it out after the play. In the middle, a waitress came over and said drinks were on the house, not to worry. We never learned of our benefactor. But what a great story! Since then, every once in awhile, my husband and I will search out a young couple and buy their dinner. Warms the heart. Thanks for reminding me of our blessings.

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    1. What a GREAT story; thanks for sharing that, Marie! I especially love that you guys look for other couples to treat now and again.

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  5. Oh Barbara, I LOVE this!!! What an awesome experience for your son!

    Jen
    Runde's Room

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    1. Thanks, Jen - it was perfect and I LOVED hearing his enthusiastic version of the connections he was making.

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  6. How special! I'm so thrilled to have found your blog and am happy to be your newest follower!!
    Growing Firsties

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I really enjoy hearing from my readers; thanks for sharing your reflections with us!