Thank You Note

Gerrell was busy for the rest of the day. He tried not to think about what just happened. He didn’t regret it, of course, it was the right thing to do after all. It didn’t matter what difference having that money would make in his life, it was not his to keep. Gerrell heard his phone go off in his pocket again, he took it out and read the message on the screen. It was a thank you note from Melissa, Alan’s daughter. A tiny smile made its way to his lips.

A Memory

Melissa thanked him for his honesty and explained how her dad still struggles with technology. At this statement, Gerrell recalled how a few months ago he received $55 from some account. He returned that too but until now he didn’t realize it was from the same person. It was from Alan Trusler. Gerrell was slightly amused by this coincidence.

The Response

Gerrell started typing, “You’re very welcome! But if you could tell your family and friends that a low-income Black man from Tacoma with a 5-year-old daughter returned your money, I would find that helpful in improving race relations while reaffirming the amazing culture we as western Washingtonians have worked so hard to cultivate. And that, in turn, would help me to stop kicking myself in the ass for remaining morally sound through the tough times my family and I are experiencing at the moment. In short, share the story, spread the love. Thank you.”

No Explanation

Gerrell didn’t know where those words came from or why he started typing them or why he confided in a stranger. He didn’t have answers to any of these questions. But all he knew is that it felt good, returning the money as well as receiving the kind message from Melissa. For a second, he thought about backspacing everything but he felt like those words needed to be heard so he pressed send.

Getting Home

The sun had set four hours ago, Gerrell was on his last bits of duties. He locked the store and set off to the parking lot. He drove home in silence, his mind still chaotic with the events of that day. When he reached his house, everyone was asleep already. He made his way to his bedroom and lied awake in his bed for the next many hours.

The Next Morning

It was a Sunday morning, which meant no work. Gerrell was in his bed, asleep, for a change. He woke up to the sound of his phone, not his alarm. His phone had been going off for several minutes again and again. He squinted his eyes, wondering who was texting him so early in the morning. Gerrell’s eyes widened as he registered what was on his screen. His phone screen was cluttered with notifications from PayPal.