FAST FACTS:
(Memphis 12/22/09) One man spread Christmas cheer by giving a surprise no driver expected, $20 a time.
Drivers pulling into the Citgo at Getwell and Raines Tuesday morning met Don Reed, a man they'll never forget. For about an hour, he pumped around 80 cars full of free gas and asked for nothing in return.
"They think it's a gimmick sometimes," says Reed as he pumps a car while the driver waits, smiling behind the steering wheel. "Merry Christmas! Pass it along to somebody else," he says.
Dollar by dollar the smiles kept coming.
"God bless him," says one man. "Thank you! Merry Christmas, this is a blessing."
It's not just customers giving thanks. Red gets something out of it too.
"I receive a lot more than I give on this," he says. "I know a couple of people it may have really saved their day. Maybe a lot them it didn't, but if it's one or two people then it's been worth it."
"A lot of people probably couldn't afford the gas, so it'll get them through the week," he says, but can't even explain what possessed him to open his wallet for total strangers.
"Something told me to do it," says Reed. "I'm very blessed with family, employees, customers, we're just passing it along."
When he asked the Citgo owner if he could do it last year, Deepa Sangoy didn't believe it. "He said I want to give away gas and at first I thought he was joking."
But then, after watching his pump gas for happy drivers, she learned a valuable lesson: "If it's good, just do it."
It's a lesson 80 more people learned, after just stopping for gas.
Eventually Reed ran out of money while plenty more people kept coming by asking if he'll do it again. He says he will. Same time, same place, next year.
- Man gives gift of gas to strangers
- 80 customers, each gets $20
- Hopes good tidings will be passed on
(Memphis 12/22/09) One man spread Christmas cheer by giving a surprise no driver expected, $20 a time.
Drivers pulling into the Citgo at Getwell and Raines Tuesday morning met Don Reed, a man they'll never forget. For about an hour, he pumped around 80 cars full of free gas and asked for nothing in return.
"They think it's a gimmick sometimes," says Reed as he pumps a car while the driver waits, smiling behind the steering wheel. "Merry Christmas! Pass it along to somebody else," he says.
Dollar by dollar the smiles kept coming.
"God bless him," says one man. "Thank you! Merry Christmas, this is a blessing."
It's not just customers giving thanks. Red gets something out of it too.
"I receive a lot more than I give on this," he says. "I know a couple of people it may have really saved their day. Maybe a lot them it didn't, but if it's one or two people then it's been worth it."
"A lot of people probably couldn't afford the gas, so it'll get them through the week," he says, but can't even explain what possessed him to open his wallet for total strangers.
"Something told me to do it," says Reed. "I'm very blessed with family, employees, customers, we're just passing it along."
When he asked the Citgo owner if he could do it last year, Deepa Sangoy didn't believe it. "He said I want to give away gas and at first I thought he was joking."
But then, after watching his pump gas for happy drivers, she learned a valuable lesson: "If it's good, just do it."
It's a lesson 80 more people learned, after just stopping for gas.
Eventually Reed ran out of money while plenty more people kept coming by asking if he'll do it again. He says he will. Same time, same place, next year.
