Paying it forward?

In Canada Tim Hortons is the place to get your coffee and donuts. The popular thing to do around here in order to pay it forward is to buy the order for the person behind you. Or buy a box of donuts or smile cookies and have them hand one out to every person until they are gone. I love this thought and have been the recipient of one coffee purchased.

One morning I decided to try it out for myself. I ordered mine, then not sure what to say I asked for the total of the person behind me. It was $2 something so I said I'd pay for that too. Done and done. I drove away smiling, stopped at the stop sign just past the drive-in and waited to turn right. I looked in my rear-view mirror and saw the person pull up, receive their order listening to the worker and then pull in behind me. Suddenly I was overcome with a feeling of embarrassment and panic. I felt like I needed to get away from this person, like the worse thing in the world would be for them to pull up beside me and wave or thank me. It became a mad race with dramatic car chase music playing in my head. Pulling onto the next road (which happened to be 2 lanes), moving in front of him when he switched lanes, turning and he followed, turned again and he followed, then suddenly he turned off the road we were one. Phew, I sure dodged a bullet there!

What an odd reaction to have.