MY TRUE STORY (Rhon)

After graduating from school I went and applied at a Travel agency (I loved to travel, and this would fit right into my plans, as part of the perks of working there was to travel to places they advertised,so I could sell their tours).  All was going very well, I loved the folks I worked with, we were like a big family, and we respected one another and how we worked.  One day a woman that looked like she had seen better days, sat down at my desk and gave me a BIG WARM smile & went on to ask  what is the best place to go to, and may I eat my sandwich (she pointed to her paper bag).  The rest of the staff was staring and my Manager shook his head and pointed to her back and sent me the signal of “get rid of her- she’s a bag lady, waste of time “.  I was so taken with this elderly woman and her sweet spirit, I got up and told her go ahead and eat, I need a moment with my Manager.  She again gave me a sweet smile, and said ” I need to know today  the price of your best trip, you can tell your manager I need to finalize the payment and details today.  I shook my head yes, and disappeared into my Manager’s office.  He said “Rhon, you shouldn’t waste time on that woman, plus you have many tours to order plane tickets, hotels, tour arrangements).  You are doing terrific working here and it shows you love what you are doing….so just tell her you are VERY busy”.  I told him I was due for a lunch break, and may I have permission  to stay and talk with her?  He said yes, but do eat as soon as she leaves. 

I proceeded back to  this lady  who had 8 brochures stretched out on my desk.  Her words flowed out of her mouth ” Dear, I need your help and made a promise to my husband before he died that I would use part of his life insurance to take a major trip abroad “.  I now was smiling but had tears in my eyes.  I then showed her the top trip we were promoting to Europe, and she said “THIS IS IT, HOW MUCH?” I went along to keep her happy and told her about the trip, cost, hotels, site seeing, transfers  and she got up, and said I will be back in about an hour.  When do you close?”  She hugged me and left.  The Manager came over, and said “please eat Rhon,  You have plane  tickets FOR 4 GROUPS  that must go out today and 4 different itineraries to finish”.  I  ate fast, started working on the tickets, and low and behold  in walks this sweet ole lady with the President of one of the banks in our area.  He approached me after she pointed me out to him ,  and said thanks for taking care of my friend, she lost her husband last week.  He sat down and said to the lady (whose name was ” Hope “) Let me help you fill out the check to this travel company.  By this time everyone in the office was staring.  “Hope” was crying, and I believe everyone in the office was crying. The trip was to Europe for 6 weeks.  She said , ” I went into 2 other travel agencies before coming here and they treated me so badly.  I knew when I met you that you would take good care of me. For the record, each year Hope took major trips and brought along friends. We  had a deal – She would travel with us, and I would take her shopping for clothes to wear on theses trips.  She became a major blessing in my life with her amazing personality, zest for living, and stories .

I learned through this…. never judge anyone by what they wear, judge them by God’s standards of who they are inside.