Two days before Christmas, Andrew Gordon took his usual route from the subway to work. A well-dressed woman approached him on the sidewalk. Her frowning face and downcast eyes didn't match the rest of her appearance.
"I'm sorry to bother you," she said to Andrew, "but I have to be at an interview in half an hour and I don't have enough money for subway fare. Can you spare anything?" When Andrew hesitated, she added, "I swear that I don't usually do this. It's truly an emergency."
Andrew eyed the woman. He could tell from her frantic speech, shaking hands, and pleading eyes that she was telling the truth. Andrew dug into his pocket and pulled out three dollars and change. It was all the cash he had left. He had meant to spend it on a frugal lunch, but her need seemed greater.
"Is this enough?" He offered the bills and coins in his hand.
"Thank you, sir," she replied. "You don't know how much I appreciate it! If you give me your address, I promise to repay you."
The smile on her face was enough for Andrew. "No need to repay me. Good luck on your interview."
The woman thanked him again and hurried down the stairs to the subway station. She made it to her interview with a minute to spare. More relaxed now, she calmly passed the interview and got the job.
That evening, the woman rode on the crowded subway train back home. She saw a mother and daughter board, but there were no seats available. They looked tired, the little girl leaning against her mother's side. The woman offered her seat without hesitation. Although she had worked a full day, she was grateful for her new job and didn't mind standing for another twenty minutes.
The mother thanked the woman and shared the seat with her daughter, who fell asleep in her arms. The mother was grateful that her daughter could finally get some rest. She also closed her eyes and took a short nap. They rode for half an hour before reaching home, and both mother and daughter woke up refreshed.
They entered their apartment to the sound of the telephone ringing. It was a neighbor, a single mother who worked as a nurse. She explained that the hospital needed extra help that night, but she had no babysitter for her daighter. The mother gladly offered to watch her neighbor's daughter that night and even have her sleep over to play with her own daughter. The nurse thanked her for helping out on such short notice.
At the hospital, the night flew by. Short-staffed due to the upcoming holiday, the nurse rushed from room to room. In one room was an electrician who fell down a ladder. He had briefly lost consciousness, which prompted a series of tests to ensure that there was no brain damage.
He was less concerned about his health than the amount of time he had spent in the hospital. He hadn't yet bought a Christmas present for his wife, and he had planned to buy one that night. Now, the stores would be closed if he stayed much longer. He pressed the nurse to discharge him soon.
Instead of letting her patient leave before he was ready to, the nurse offered to buy the present for him during her break. The man was surprised by her generosity and immediately took her up on her offer. Two hours later, the man left the hospital with a clean bill of health and a Christmas present for his wife.
The next morning, the electrician returned to work at the house of a wealthy business man. In one corner of the huge house was an elaborate entertainment room, but power mysteriously stopped flowing to the room. The wealthy man was anxious to fix the problem, as he was hosting a large Christmas Eve party that night.
The electrician found the problem and fixed it before noon. He also noticed that the sound system was misconfigured for the size and shape of the room. He adjusted the location of the speakers and demonstrated the result to the business man. The owner of the house was delighted at the improved acoustics.
Enjoying the melodies of Brahm in his entertainment room after the electrician left, the business man made a decision about a deal that occupied his mind. He picked up his cell phone and dialed the sales manager of a supplier trying to woo his business. The man on the other end of the phone was surprised and ecstatic that his prospective customer agreed to a contract before the end of the year.
The sales manager stayed late at the office, finishing the final draft of the contract that would net him a six figure commission. He couldn't think of a better Christmas present. Although it was Christmas Eve, the man, who was single and lived for his work, didn't mind the late hours. He was happiest when closing a deal, which he had just done.
Leaving the office, he entered the first restaurant he saw in order to celebrate. The restaurant was nearly empty. Only one waitress remained, serving himself and another couple. The sales manager ordered a steak, lobster, and a bottle of wine.
The couple soon left, and the restaurant staff appeared eager to close up and leave for their own Christmas celebrations. However, the waitress continued to be kind and didn't hurry him. He felt sorry for her. She probably had a family to go back to, and it was almost closing time. Feeling generous, the sales manager pulled out five hundred dollar bills and put it on the table. "Thanks for your service," he said to the waitress on his way out. "Merry Christmas, Lisa," he read the name on her tag.
That night, Lisa Gordon returned home with a big smile on her face. "You'll never believe the tip I got tonight!" she said to her husband Andrew.
