A sandwich,
a soda or maybe even a chocolate bar to satisfy a midnight craving. These are
some of the many things you expect to find at a New York deli and convenience
store.
But
customers at Lucky Candy in the Bronx get an entirely different experience, and
it's all thanks to cashier Ahmed Alwan, a 20-year-old college student, who 2 weeks ago, decided to start playing a game with shoppers -- and has gone viral.
The rules
are simple: if you can solve a math equation, you get five seconds to grab
anything you want off store shelves and have it for free.
The one
thing you're not allowed to grab? His cat. (Yes, someone tried.)
"All I
wanted to do was to help people," Alwan told CNN. "But I wanted to
make it fun. So I made a TikTok and chose a challenge, asking them a math
question. It's a way to entertain and educate people in need while putting a
smile on their face, too."
Two weeks
and 13 videos later, Alwan has become an internet sensation, gaining more than
300,000 followers on Tik Tok and 17,000 on Instagram. In his videos,
Alwan can be heard asking customers simple questions such as, "What's 5
times 5?" or "9 times 9 minus 5?"
Those who
answer correctly use their five seconds to grab anything from chips and ice
cream to speakers. But no matter how much they grab, or how valuable the items are,
their cost is always the same: $0.
Alwan pays
for everything out of his own pocket. His main concern isn't money, but helping low-income community members save for higher priority expenses,
such as rent and utilities.
Saleh Aobad, the store's owner and Alwan's father, said he's "very proud" of his son. "It's great to see him do good and help out the community, and most importantly represent Islam," Aobad, an immigrant from Yemen, told CNN.
Many of the
store's customers are familiar faces, people Alwan has known since he was 13
and began working in the family business. Others are strangers. But they all
get a fair shot at solving a math problem.
Alwan,
who's studying at Bronx Community College to become a pharmacist, has a history
of being charitable. He often
gives customers food and household supplies on credit. And on
cold mornings when he spots people sleeping at the nearby train station, he
offers them free coffee, bananas and muffins.
Alwan plans to continue making videos, and even getting more creative with his
questions. He even started a GoFundMe to support the game and enable him
to help more people. The
money will go towards products and food that will be used for the
challenges and even simple donations for customers in need.
The goal,
he explained on the GoFundMe, is "to inspire others to always be
kindhearted."
