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Some guy with a home, car and a job gave away money at an intersection…

12:18 PM EDT on July 16, 2012

Last week, Doug Eaton of Bethany made a bit of national news when he ventured to the panhandler haven of 39th and N. May and decided to give away money to passing motorists because it was his birthday or something like that.

From KFOR:

Doug Eaton is changing it up as he turns a year older.

We’re used to being asked to donate at many popular intersections but that wasn’t the case Wednesday morning in the Metro.

“I asked a bunch of my friends on Facebook what should I do on my sixty-fifth and I got a whole long list of stuff and one of my friends said, ‘Why don’t you do 65 random acts of kindness?’”

So Eaton decided to spend just over an hour handing out free money to people passing by the corner.

Sixty five years old means 65 minutes spent handing out $5 bills to people who pass by on the corner of N.W. 39th St. and May Ave.

People were unsure what to think, some drove by several times to make sure they were reading the sign correctly and others told Eaton to continue to pay it forward.

“I think this is the craziest guy I have ever seen in my life and it`s fantastic! I am enjoying the moment out here,” one driver said.

His friends said he is just having fun on his 65 birthday.

“Doug doesn’t need the money, so he is just having fun,” his friend said.

Eaton didn`t realize he would be receiving the best birthday gift of all, the gift of giving.

“It’s just been fantastic. Some people who don`t take the money say, ‘Man, I love what you are doing. I won’t take it but give it to someone who needs it,’” he said.

Quick thoughts:

• When you post a status update on Facebook asking how to spend your birthday, and a friend responds with something stupid like "OMG commit random acts of kindness!!" you totally have the right to punch them in the face or key their car the next time you see them. Unless, of course, the culprit is your really sweet, totally out-of-touch aunt who likes every one of your updates and writes silly things like "You're the best, Patrick!" on every photo you're tagged in, including the ones with girls. If she leaves a comment like that then just ignore her. She doesn't know any better.

• If I saw a man handing out $5 bills on 39th and May, I'd treat him like I do every other panhandler and look straight ahead and not acknowledge his existence. There's no way I'd take the money. I would be too worried that I'd have to either a) hear about his church, or b) look at his balls. Remember, 39th and Penn is only a mile away.

• Isn't his sign condescending? At last check, there are lots of people out there with homes, cars and jobs who are struggling to make ends meet. His sign should have read "I'm a white man with money who is looking to impress my friends, boost my self-esteem and make a veiled political statement. Will you take $5 from me and then look at my balls?" That would have been much more honest.

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