An act of kindness (1 Viewer)

[Holadem]

Well, since it seems we here at HTF (and AHL especially) often believe we are the cream of the crop of the human race (evidenced by how often the expression "most people are stupid" is thrown around), I thought I would share a story with our perfect membership about a nice person for a change.

This morning I head to the gas station a few block from my building with a virtually empty tank and realize that ooops, I am out of cash AND for some reason, my bank card wouldn't come through. My commute is 20 minutes, there is no way I am making it to work on fumes. My only option at this point is pretty much wait till 8 or 9 O'clock or whenever the hell the bank opens.

This was my first time at this gas station. It's not far from me, but it's almost never on my way.

Comes the attendant. He tries my card without success, then says, "listen, I could put in 5 bucks for you, ya just gotta come back and pay me later". Just like that, without me asking. I accepted, asked if he wanted some form or ID, a guaranty, anything. He sayz "No, I trust you to come back, ya just gotta be a man and live up to it".

I drove off with this huge smile on my face, feeling good, as good as only a random act of kindness by a total stranger can make you feel, pondering about how terrific we humans can be, all the while trying to ignore the news I had just heard about more violence in Liberia.

Of course this guy just earned himself a new customer. He went out of his way, I can certainly do the same.

So any stories about people that does not involve bad driving/parking, obnoxious teenagers, Walmart shoppers, annoying babies, people with nice cars or stupid lawsuits?

Something good for a change (about HUMANS not pets)?

--
Holadem - who just got himself $5 of free gas

 

[Matt Gordon]

who just got himself $5 of free gas

Free, that is, until you pay him back. You will, won't you?



And think about leaving $5 for the next guy.

 

[Holadem]

Did you not notice the evil smiley?

--
Holadem

 

[Jeff Kleist]

You found one of your fellow 5% methinks Ironically I just watched The Awful Truth episode where Michael Moore put people pretending to be dead on the streets of NYC, London and Toronto. It took several hours for someone in Toronto to be the first to help the dead guy.

 

[Max Leung]

But Jeff, why would you help a dead guy? He's DEAD for chrissakes.

Hola, if you don't pay him back the $5 then you're a no-good-dumbo-nothing (to carry on the HTF "people are crazy/stupid" motif)!

 

[John Stone]

Holadem, that's a great story. I also have a story along those lines....

A couple of weeks ago, I found water all over the kitchen floor by the fridge/freezer. When I opened the fridge, the thermometer was reading a bit high, 45 degrees. Now I don't know the first thing about refrigeration, so I decided to call Sears repair. The earliest they could get out to my place was the following Tuesday (it was Saturday). Of course my wife had just been grocery shopping the day prior. :frowning: Anyway, I decided to play it by ear and hoped the fridge didn't get any warmer. Well, it did. I checked the temperature a few hours later and it was almost 60 degrees in there. I decided that I needed to get someone out here right away, so I picked up the phone book and called a "mom and pop" place that happened to be around the corner from me, figuring they might be able to get someone out quickly. The guy who answered the phone (the owner) said he could come out within an hour, but he asked me what was wrong. I described the problem and he asked me a bunch of "targeted" questions. After the lengthy over-the-phone Q&A session, he told me exactly what was wrong, what needed to be replaced and how to fix it. He spent almost an hour on the phone with me, telling me what needed to be taken apart, walking me through what I needed to do, looking at parts lists on Sears' web site, telling me where I could purchase the same parts for less money and on and on. So he gives me all this information, but I'm looking at a couple hours of work and it was almost time for him to close up shop for the day. So the dude gives me his personal cell phone number and tells me to call him if I have any questions, but he also asked that I call him at home that night and let him know how it went! I couldn't believe how cool this guy was. It was just one of those conversations where everything seemed to "click" and we developed an almost instant rapport.

Well, everything he said on the phone was correct. His diagnosis was right on the money: the coils were completely sheathed in ice because the dual head water control valve was broken and was sending water to the ice maker non-stop. The ice buildup was also causing the fan to make a terrible noise. Since I couldn't get the parts that day, he had me shut the water supply to the freezer off, had me remove some of the interior panels, and use a hair dryer to defrost the coils. A couple of hours later I had the coils completely defrosted, the freezer put back together and a perfectly working fridge! I called him at home and he was genuinely happy that he was able to help. I asked him how much I owed him and he said, "not a thing--you did great. You made my day" I made his day?! Who the hell is this guy?! I was blown away. I told him if he ever had a computer or networking problem to call me, and he said he sure would. What a remarkable person, especially in this day and age. If not for his willingness to spend well over an hour of his time helping me, especialy considering he "had the job/money", the repair would have been $300-$400, and we would have lost a lot of food. I still smile thinking about what otherwise would have been a terrible experience.

 

[Tim Hoover]

Nice thread - something positive for a change!

In October of '01, I sent a cymbal back to Zildjian to have rivets put in it. This is a service that Zildjian provides free of charge. After a month, I still hadn't received the cymbal back. I called their office, and they didn't have any record of my cymbal being riveted, so the lady offers to send me a brand new one. Good, that's quite fine. Three days later, I receive the new cymbal. A day after that, I receive my old cymbal with rivets in it. I call up Zildjian and explain that I received the new cymbal, but I also got my old one back. Apparently, the riveter didn't enter the job into the computer system. I ask for an address that I can return the new cymbal to. Zildjian says that since rivets are a custom order, they really can't take it back. I ask what I should do with it. The lady says "Have a Merry Christmas. The cymbal's yours, so do whatever you want with it!" Woohoo, free cymbal! I sell it on Ebay for less than half price, and make someone else happy in the process...

 

[Hunter P]

I still get a little giddy when a cashier will throw in a couple of pennies to round out my change.

 

[MarkHastings]

Yes, I like seeing the $10.01 on the cash register and the clerk says "Ten Bucks"

Now I can pay with a $20 and get back a ten dollar bill instead of a 5, four 1's and 99 cents change in my pocket :frowning:

 

[ThomasC]

I was going to start up a thread like this yesterday, but forgot about the incident until I was too tired to post about it. Anyways, I went to the Wendy's drive-thru yesterday and ordered a Biggie Size Spicy Chicken Combo, went up to the first window to pay, opened up my wallet, and found out that I only had a dollar on me. I told the cashier this, and asked if they accepted credit cards (one of the other Wendy's in the areas did this a while back), but no luck. She called for the manager and told her that I only had a dollar, and I offered that I would just take a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger instead (Super Value Menu, gotta love it), but she (the manager) said, "No, that's fine, go ahead, next window." She didn't even ask me for the dollar I had and just told me to go to the second window for my food! $4.84 worth!

 

[Eric_L]

The people who reply to posts in the various forums here are extremely generous with their time and help. Were it not for the generous help of many experienced HT'ers I would not be enjoying my system nearly as much (though I may have a few thousand dollars extra in th bank...)

Thank you all.

 

[Scott De]

About 15 years ago, I was staying at a friend's house a couple of days before Christmas. It was in a rural area, and we got a moderate snowstorm.

Christmas Eve morning, I hit the road to drive a couple of hours to meet up with my family. My friend specifically advised me to be careful on the winding, rural roads back to the main highway.

I paid no attention, and (driving like a maniac), managed to lose control on a semi-plowed "S" curve. Instead of making the turn, I ended up going straight off the road, and down several feet into a (snow-covered) cornfield.

After several unsuccessful tries turning around and getting a "running start" to get back up the hill to the road, I pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I wouldn't be making it home for Christmas Eve. Probably would spend it walking several miles to the nearest house and calling my buddy to pick me up and waiting a couple of days for a tow out of the field.

Right about then, a bread truck happened by. Guess he was on his way home (to his own family) after the morning deliveries. Not sure how he saw me down in the field, or what possessed him to stop (instead of just going on and figuring someone else would help).

He pulled over, got out, tied a chain to the back of his truck and (without a word) handed me the other end of the chain to tie to the front of my car. Then he proceeded to gently pull me out of the field.

When I took my end of the chain back to him, I fumbled for words to express my thanks.

All he said to me was "I hate to see a man in a ditch". Then he got back in his truck and went on his way.

I think of that often, especially when I begin to lose faith in coworkers/the human race in general. The more I recall it, the more telling his response was.

 

[Philip_G]

The best (only) story I have was when I lived in Portland OR. We were waiting for what else, a movie outside the theater on new year's eve when some guy walks up to me and the GF and asks if we're going to a movie, I say yes and he hands me some paper and explains he has free passes that expire that night and his wife is sick and they won't be going

 

[TreyP]

By Tim Hoover
...cymbal...

What is this? Are you talking about those gold things that you smash together to make a loud banging/echoing noise?

 

[Vickie_M]

Oooh oooh oooh! I have a whopper that just happened Saturday.

My husband and I are both huge Peter Gabriel fans (both of us became big fans before we met each other, over 20 years ago, so the mutual fandom of Peter and Kate Bush caused an immediate bond). When Gabriel came through Chicago a few months ago, we didn't have the money and moped about high ticket prices and low finances.

When we heard he was coming back, we were in the middle of another financial bind, which got worse when we found out we had 30 days to move (the city is tearing down this block to build a school, and the landlord waited until the last minute to tell us).

Chris's brother Corky lives in Kansas City and is also a huge Gabriel fan. He decided to come up to Chicago to see the show, but could only buy one extra ticket. He got them from 2 other Kansas City Gabriel fans, an old friend of ours named Rick Dodderige and his new girlfriend Joanna. Chris and I met Rick shortly after we met, and the three of us have been through several adventures together, including traveling long distances to see Gabriel together. (Chris and I lived in Kansas City for several years, then moved to Chicago in 1990)

Anyway, Corky said that he had an extra ticket he'd give to us (good deed #1), and we'd have to mud wrestle to see who got to go. We're equally in love with Gabriel, but I said Chris could go (good deed #2) because it was his brother, after all, and I really needed to continue working on the upcoming move. I was sad, but not resentful in any way. I love Chris and his brother so much there's no way I could be.

Well, Friday, the day before the concert, I get a call from a Chicago friend, Alberto. He says that he and some of his friends are going to the concert, but one of them has had to pull out, so he has an extra ticket. Do I want it? He knows how big a Gabriel fan I am. I tell him about Chris and Corky going, and say thanks, but we really can't afford it at this time. He says don't worry about it, it's on him!! (good deed #3)

Wow! (it's not over yet)

He brings the ticket to us Saturday morning, then Chris and I go out to Midway airport that afternoon to pick up Corky, who's flying in from Kansas City. He rents a car, we eat, we get to the venue. We find Chris and Corky's seat, which is under the pavilion, but quite far back, closer to the lawn than the stage. I find my seat with Alberto, which is slightly off to the side, but only 7 rows back!! Wow!

When Alberto got there, I asked him if it would be ok if I traded places with Corky, so Chris and I could sit together. It's fine with him, so I went back up to where Chris and Corky were sitting and told Corky to come with me, I wanted to introduce him to Alberto. He'd heard the story and thought Alberto was a great guy for giving me the ticket, so yeah, he wanted to meet him. When we get down to the seats I make introductions and then I give Corky my ticket and give him a gentle push toward the seats. He's flabbergasted! I tell you, that felt so good, to see the look on his face! (good deed #4)

(it's not over yet)

I go back up to where Chris is sitting and we sit there and cuddle in happiness, that we're there together, and Corky gets to sit up close after flying all the way up from Kansas City. Then, these two guys standing behind us talking to some people sitting there ask us if we would mind changing seats. We're confused for a second, and he explains that the people directly behind us are their friends and they all want to sit as close as possible together. Then he says that their two seats are up in the first section, much much closer to the stage. Our eyes widen and we say YEAH!! No problem!! (good deed #5)

(it's not over yet)

We take the tickets, thank the guys profusely, then go down to find our new seats. It's row DD, seats 7 and 8. I lead the way into the row and see the two empty seats. Then I see who is sitting next to the empty seats:

IT'S OUR OLD FRIEND RICK DODDERIGE FROM KANSAS CITY AND HIS GIRLFRIEND!!!

A good deed, another good deed, a third good deed, leads to a forth good deed, and another one out of the blue, and life is good. And the concert was great!!!

We have been laughing and giggling in wonder since Saturday night, let me tell you!

 

[Vickie_M]

Btw, I'm loving these stories, thanks guys!

 

[Clinton McClure]

Trey, I would hazard a guess it's a cymbal from a drum kit. Same purpose, different design.

 

[Andres Munoz]

Holadem,

It's me, the gas station attendant. You still haven't paid me my $5 you cheap bastard!

 

[Holadem]

I went back this morning and did exactly as Matt said.

Great stories BTW.

--
Holadem

 

[Chris Hovanic]

Most everyone has stories of simple acts of kindness directed their way. How many of us send those simple acts of kindness back?

I guess its harder to tell how you helped someone out of a ditch or offered your movie tickets to a stranger. :b

I hope everyone reading this thread can do some random act of kindness to a fellow human.

Right now the HTF Random Act of Kindness meter is pegged over 500 (number of views this thread has).

hmmm what bit of kindness will I give today?