My day had already crashed and burned. I overslept, spilled coffee on my shirt, and blew the interview—badly. I called the manager the wrong name and even used the competitor’s slogan. Twice. Walking back to my car, dreading the meter, I was ready to break.
No ticket. Just a scrap of cardboard:
“You ran out of time… I fixed that issue. —Meter Homie.”
I laughed. Then I cried. There was more—a second note tucked under my sun visor:
“Keep going.”
That simple gesture changed everything. I bought notepads, carried extra coins, and became someone else:
“Second Chance.”
I left notes, fed meters, and watched strangers light up. Then, one rainy day, I helped a girl sobbing beside her car. “Someone did this for me once,” I said, handing her money.
Weeks later, I found a note on my car:
“Second Chance, you’re not alone. Keep spreading the good. —MH”
At a café, an old man looked at me and said, “I was Meter Homie. I’m proud of you.”
We started meeting monthly, sharing stories. We called ourselves The Ripple Effect.
Kindness is contagious. Pass it on.
