This was a bit exceptional. I've done some like this, on odd occasions.
Christopher A. Young See me on the web
----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Miller" Newsgroups: alt.home.repair Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 8:46 PM Subject: Re: OT - welfare mentality
Yep.
In my younger days, I used to accept money, when it was offered, for helping stranded motorists with their cars. Then one winter, I was the stranded motorist: water pump failed out in the middle of nowhere in the hills of NW Pennsylvania, at about 2am on Dec. 26. Couldn't see any lights anywhere, so my wife and I spent the night in the car. When the sun came up, we were able to see a farmhouse a short distance away. So I walked up to the door and asked to use the phone.
That's all I asked for -- to use the phone.
Here's what we got:
They invited us in, and fixed a hot breakfast of bacon, eggs, pancakes, coffee for me, and cocoa for my wife. The man said there wouldn't be any nearby garages open the day after Christmas where I could get the car fixed. How about an auto parts store, I asked? I have the tools, I just need the part. He called around until he found a NAPA store about 10 miles away that was open, made sure they had what I needed, and drove me there. I had no credit cards, and not enough cash, and the store didn't want to take my out-of-state check; he told the manager that he'd guarantee my check. After we got back with the new water pump, he insisted on helping me change it out, at the side of the road, in freezing rain.
And they wouldn't take a penny.
Neither have I, ever since.
If anyone asks why, they hear that story. And I tell them to help the next person they see who needs it, and tell that person to pass it on. It'll come back around to me eventually. In fact, it already has, several times.