Here I am, my newly turned 17 year old self driving on Mifflin Street in Madison. My best friend Gabby in my passenger seat blasting our Hamilton toons as we head home from a night's stay. “Look gabs! There’s a McDonald’s. Let’s get some breakfast.” My stomach talks to me repeatedly reminding me it’s hungry. I slowly pull into the parking lot. 

Entering the parking lot a frown grows on Gabby and my face. A homeless man. He sits and stares as we pass. I slowly progress forward, but in doing so we signal a wave to be kind. Sitting there shivering, he raises a hand back. I pull up to order. Gabby and I sit for a second contemplating what we just witnessed 5 seconds ago, deafening the sound of the waitress trying to take our order. We finally gave our order. 

“Hello sorry for making you wait! May we please have a number 1 meal with water, a Dr. Pepper, and a Coke please?”

“Of course! That will be 10.50 at the first window,” says the worker.

I slowly inch forward. The silence between me and Gabby gets louder. 

“10.50 please,” says the worker.

I hand her my card and stare forward. The worker hands me back my card. We still have Hamilton playing in the background. I pull up to the second window and grab our food. As I pull out to leave the McDonalds, I stop the car and give Gabby the bag. We look at each other and both smile and nod. She gets out of my car and rushes the water and big brown bag to the homeless man, generously handing it to him. At that moment, his facial expressions were everything I needed to know. That was a meal that saved a life.