Memories that Never Fade

I wished I had Chuck’s memory. He can remember things from our college days as if they happened yesterday. My memory of my past is not very good. There are, however, a few moments that I’ll never forget.

I remember in high school when a classmate asked a girl in class if he could have her leftover orange peels. I knew Floyd well enough to know he went to school hungry some days. I offered Floyd my lunch that day. I thought he needed it more than I did. I also wasn’t crazy about the tuna fish sandwich my mother gave me.

I was lucky when growing up. My parents provided me with the basic necessities in life. We weren’t rich. My father was a machinist and my mother was a switchboard operator at a department store. But they made enough to provide for my sister and me.

The money I made working summer jobs put money in my pocket. I didn’t have to contribute to the household income. As a result, I was able to buy myself lunch the day I gave Floyd my tuna fish sandwich.

I remember when I was in the fifth grade, Hershel came to school with red lipstick on the side of his face. I guess his mother kissed him goodbye that morning. Hershel didn’t have a father.

The kids teased him. Not me. I talked to him as if nothing happened. Hershel was a tough kid, but that lipstick episode revealed he was actually a nice guy under his rough exterior. We became good friends until he moved away the following school year.

One day, I was going into a store and a young girl was out front selling candy bars to raise money for her school. She was by herself. There was no parent by her side. There wasn’t much foot traffic, so there weren’t many opportunities for sales. I felt she could use some help. I bought quite a few candy bars. I told her to keep them and sell them to someone else.

I don’t know why I still remember those small moments in my life. They say people enjoy spending money on others more than themselves. Maybe being kind and helpful to others in some small way can also provide memorable moments you cherish for a lifetime.