My parents are the most generous people I know, and they don't want anybody to know about it.
When my friend's dad was laid off in high school, they left enough money for Thanksgiving at their door, anonymously. When a homeless man my dad met at the shelter needed money, my parents hired him to do odd jobs around the house -- ones that didn't really need to be done -- so they could give him money in a way that wouldn't shame him.
In exchange for their generosity, my dad wins everything. Everything. From door prizes to big-cash drawings, if his name is in the pot, everyone else is screwed. Call it karma. Call it God. Whatever it is, it's obviously a payback.
Last week, my sister's rent deposit was due, and my parents were a little worried about where they'd get the money. My mom entered my dad's name in a door prize at a fundraiser, just for fun. They won $500, almost exactly enough to pay my sister's rent.
With the $30 remaining, they sent me flowers.
"It just seemed more fun than going out to dinner or something like that," my mom said, shrugging it off.








