People Change People

Assumptions. Good or bad, you're usually in for quite a surprise. With that said, here's a documentary poem that I wrote that touches on how life-changing a single gesture can be to any ordinary person. In other words, people change people. I find it very fascinating how your friends, or even strangers, can bring out different sides of you. My advice: Don't assume or expect anything from people and instead, focus on being kind to one another. Do things out of the greatness of your heart, and not because you are hoping for something in return. Once you show people your good intentions, they will come around and surprise you in the best possible way. I hope you enjoy!

It's been about 5 years since I delivered my first pizza. 26 years old. I make about 8 bucks an hour. My tips range from nothing to the rare 5 bucks. Here I am on a Friday night, stacking freshly baked pizzas into boxes. The landline rings. A man with a deep voice asks for a deep dish pizza. Anchovies and all-you-can-eat-meat. He gives me his address and I tell him to give me 20 minutes. He hangs up. I get right to it. Bake the deep dish, add sauce and cheese, then the toppings. It's perfect. I carefully place it in the box and carry it to the company car. I plug in his address. 10 miles. Smooth jazz music plays. After 9 miles of driving, I look out and see big houses towering over me. An affluent neighborhood. Last time I came here, a woman took her pizza and "forgot" to tip. When I put my hand out, she spat in it. I walk up the marble steps and ring the doorbell. Silence. Suddenly, I hear the door handle rattle. The door creaks open and the man who was on the phone, popped out. In this split second, I wanted to try something different. This time, I smile. I ask him how his day was. Casual conversation. I open the box to show him the pizza. He nods as I hand it to him. He gives me a crumpled 1 dollar bill. It's better than nothing. I tell him, I appreciate it, and start to walk back to the car. I look over my shoulder to see the man giving me a faint smile. He then shuts the door. I sit in the car and take out the dollar bill. I open it up and a folded piece of paper drops into my lap. Confused, I unfold that as well. A check for $1,000 stares right at me.

Here I am again. 64 years old. This time, I lay on a hospital bed. Suffering from cancer. I am unable to pay for my treatment. I look outside my room and see a familiar face. It is the man who gave me the check many years back. He smiles at me and nods once more. He speaks to my doctor then leaves. Never to be seen again. My doctor rushes in to tell me that the man had just written another $1,000 check. Speechless. Amazed. The doctor gives me the green light. My treatment begins soon. They tell me that I will live. All because of the man in the affluent neighborhood. 


-N