PART ONE Chapter Nine

IT'S NO SHAME TO BE POOR, BUT IT'S NO GREAT HONOR EITHER!
- Tevye

When we got back from Europe, we didn't have a cent. We spent what we had fulfilling the inspiration that we received. But there we were, staying at a motel in Richmond, near the Vancouver airport, wondering how we'd pay the bill at the end of the week.

We knew some people who had money, and who'd told us to come and see them if we needed a hand. I was thinking about taking them up on their offers, when I got a flash that said, "Be prepared for a surprise." Nothing more, just that!

Soon after, I contacted a friend of ours who wanted to talk to me. She was on a disability pension at the time. While we were talking in a restaurant, right out of the blue she says, "I've got a feeling I've got to give this to you. I just got a little inheritance from Ireland. It's not much, but it's two hundred and fifty dollars. It's for you. You need this for some reason." I was astonished. She didn't know about our financial condition, and she was barely making it herself.

I was shocked. And I guess my ego was involved somewhat as well. How could I take her money? But the inspiration had warned me to be prepared for a shock. But I didn't want to accept it; that's a pretty humbling thing you know.

It's sort of like being on the street with a cup in your hand, and the rich folks that have the means pass you by, while the ones who barely scratch out enough for themselves are the ones contributing. It was all she had, and she was offering it to me.

"No, don't worry," she said. "you need it."

Well, she was right about that! I did take the money, and that's what got us going again during our first week back from Europe.

A year and a half later, at that same restaurant, at the same table in fact, the manager of the shoe store I referred to earlier in the book, and I were having coffee, when all of a sudden he pulls out a cheque book and writes me a cheque for two hundread and fifth dollars.

"Hey, I've got a feeling I've got to do this," he said.

Usually money only comes like that when it's needed and I couldn't figure out why he was writing the cheque. Then it dawned on me. It was needed, but not by me. It was for the woman who'd helped us out of a jam earlier.

So I took the money to her, and she did need it at that time. She was crying, she was so surprised. Who says someone isn't keeping track?