You know you're good at procrastinating when after a year and a half of warnings, the digital conversion happens and you HAVEN'T gotten a digital converter box OR a newer tv. Or I guess I could just say that's what I meant to happen, because we're trying to cut down on the amount of television we watch. :) Right.
What else am I supposed to do at 2 am feedings or at 5 in the morning? I actually did break down and go buy a converter box, but after feeling disgusted because I didn't have the $40 discount from the government and I had to spend $50 for a box, I got lucky and happened upon a channel that was telling you what number to call to get your $40 coupon from the government. I called immediately when I saw this program, which happened to be on Wednesday. I was told my coupon would be mailed the 16th. The conversion happened on the 12th. Needless to say, we broke out all our movies to keep ourselves entertained until we can again restore television in our home. Sad, but we need tv! What would we do without The Office? :)
Now for your viewing pleasure, a moral question for you to ponder:
Yesterday, just as Reed and I were settling down to clean our bedroom while Aftyn was sleeping, someone rang our doorbell. I was the lucky one to answer. Upon opening the door, I was greeted by a teenage hispanic male. (The only reason the hispanic part even matters is so you can picture how he spoke. He had a bit of an accent.) This young man said to me
"Can I have a garbage bag?"
This seemed a puzzling question, since I wasn't sure why he was at our door, and/or why he should even need a garbage bag. I can't be sure my exact words, but I think I said something like
"What do you need a garbage bag for?"
He then proceeded to explain that he was mowing the lawn for MY neighbors, (that part seemed important to him), anyway, they had left and he had come to mow and they hadn't left any garbage bags for him. Which was why he was at MY door, because they were MY neighbors. :) In my head, this sounded like a personal problem, because I'm sure he was getting paid to mow, but I wasn't getting paid to give him garbage bags. So I generously offered him one medium sized garbage sack, which is the only size I have. Wasn't that generous of me?! I went and got the bag for this young man, and apologized at its size, to which he replied, "that's all right, that's okay" and then he took himself away from my front door. I guess I shouldn't have expected a thank you since one medium garbage sack isn't going to bag all his grass clippings. But still, it was more than he had to start with.
What would YOU have done? Would YOU have offered more than 1 garbage bag?
4 comments:
If they have a garbage can he could have just dumped the clippings in there. Or started a compost pile in the garden. I think you should tell your neighbor they owe you a garbage bag. :)
So you guys are the reason they waited to do the digital conversion?!! Aaa-haa!!!! :)
(I might have given him a WinCo bag and told him that is all I had. :) Aren't I naughty? NOt really, that's not what I'd have done. Not after hearing a devotional talk at BYU on "Giving" I probably would have just given him a good one and realized I would be blessed so much more in return. And that is the honest truth. So good for you for sharing. :)
I think I would have done what you did. Then I'd go in my house and after more thought about it, would have gone out there and given him another one or two while thinking the whole thing was odd. But it would be better for me to give up more bags than for me to wonder if I should have given up more bags. Make sense?
It wouldn't have bothered me as much if he had just been a little more responsible and said "Hey, I forgot to bring garbage bags to mow your neighbors yard with. Could I please have a couple?" I probably would have felt more generous because at least he's recognizing that its not my problem, but would I please be generous with him anyway?
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