I was heading for my office on Webster Avenue in the Bronx last Thursday. To avoid as much of the Cross Bronx Expressway as I can, I take the Triboro Bridge to the Sheridan Expressway and then the Cross Bronx for just one exit. At the exit ramp between the Sheridan and the Cross Bronx, the road makes a sweeping curve and there's always a back-up of cars waiting to merge.

As the traffic slowed to a bumper-to-bumper crawl, there was my friend Murphy. I don't know if his real name is Murphy--whenever I see him, he's wearing a green army jacket with the name Murphy stitched on the pocket. He stands on the Sheridan Expressway holding a coffee cup and a sign that reads: Money for Food.

Some of the drivers roll down their windows and throw some change in Murphy's coffee cup. Most pay no attention to him. I can see some looking away so that they don't have to make eye contact with him. Most of the time, when I see Murphy, I think to myself, "How sad." Sometimes I think, "If he needs money, why doesn't he get a job?" I often think, "If I give him money, he'll just waste it on cheap booze or drugs."

But today I decided to do something different. When I got close to Murphy, I rolled down my window and put a dollar in his coffee cup. He gave me this broad smile and an enthusiastic, "Thank you very much." I replied, "Have a good day."

Now, I know that the dollar I gave Murphy is probably not going to change his life very much. And it's true, he may waste it on something stupid like booze. But I decided not to judge Murphy. I don't know what brought him to this place, what his life has been like, whether he's had illnesses or other bad fortune. He's probably made some foolish choices in his life. But haven't we all done that?

I gave Murphy that dollar as much because it made me feel good to reach out to someone in need as it made him feel good to get the money. I also remember from time to time that all of us, at some dark moment in our lives, needed a helping hand. I've been lucky --- I've had family and friends to pick me up when life put me down.

I don't know if Murphy has anyone to turn to when he's having a bad day, but maybe, just maybe, today will be the day that things start to turn around for him.

I often tell people that sometimes it just takes one act of kindness to make the difference. I call it Murphy's Law.