Anyone can be secret benefactor

In the book “Chicken soup for the golden soul,” Woody McKay, Jr. tells about his father’s experience, working in the early 1900s as a chauffeur for a secret benefactor. His father witnessed his employer meeting anonymously with many people in need, realizing the recipients “would never be able to repay him.”

McKay, Jr. cites one story in particular that his father shared with him.

As he writes, “One day, my father drove his employer to another city for a business meeting. On the outskirts of town, they stopped for a sandwich lunch.”

It was while they were eating that his father’s boss noticed several boys playing together, but one boy had a distinctive limp. So he went over to the boy and asked him: “Does that foot give you a lot of trouble?”

The boy said, “It slows down my running some, and I have to cut up my shoe to make it comfortable.

“But I get along. Why are you asking me these questions?”

“Well, I may be able to get that foot fixed. Would you like that?” “Sure,” the boy said. The boy appreciated the concern shown by the man, but the question confused him. The man made a note of the boy’s name.

As Woody continued his story, he said, “As my father’s employer got back in the car, he said, ‘Woody, the boy who limps... his name is Jimmy. He’s eight years old. Find out where he lives and get his parents’ names and address.’ He handed my father the boy’s name on a piece of paper. ‘Go visit his parents this afternoon and do your best to get their permission to let Jimmy have his foot operated on. We can do the paperwork later. I’ll take care of all the costs.’”

It didn’t take very long to find out where Jimmy lived as most people knew “the boy with the clubfoot.” But it did take some time for the parents to believe that the offer of help was legitimate. Eventually the offer was put in writing, along with permission papers that were signed by the parents. And Woody’s father contacted the mayor who visited Jimmy’s parents to assure them that the offer was legitimate.

Then Woody’s father personally drove Jimmy to the hospital for what would be five operations, resulting in the normalizing of his foot, and allowing him to play with his friends on an equal basis.

While the secret benefactor was able to respond to a need which was quite costly, what was important about his gesture of kindness was his ability to respond to needs around him.

And I believe each one of us, whether or not we act anonymously, has the ability to respond to needs which we see, needs which may only cost us our time. In so doing, I believe we will experience the satisfaction of knowing we have brightened the life of another person or persons.

May it be so for us!

Harvie Barker is a Penticton resident and writer of inspirational messages. He’s the author of the book, A Good Word in Season Volume 8, now available at the front desk of The Penticton Herald for $10 with all proceeds to local charity.