I am all about doing little things for people just to bring a smile to their face or as a small reminder that this world still has some good left in it. I have these cards I got from a website called random acts of kindness and occasionally I get to use them, the theory is I hand the card to the receiver of the nice gesture and they in turn pay it forward to someone else.
My point in all this is that lately I have been the receiver and it is hard for me not to be the one giving and doing. It is just who I am. So today we left the house a little late, I am driving the boys to school and no longer do I make it to the first light and I hear a loud noise, it is constant and sounds like a car I had in the old days where I had a 10" glass pack on the muffler. It is such an annoying thing to know that a noise like that is coming from a car, but worse to know it is coming from MY car.
The light signal I was sitting at turned green and it is taking me right on the freeway, it is wetter than wet out and pouring rain. I don't want to deal with this right now, but it sounds as though my car might explode. So I get on the freeway and take the first exit a couple hundred feet away. I pull down a side road off the freeway, I get out and check my 'rear' end. My muffler is still attached but it is sagging on the end where it meets the rest of the body work crap underneath. I knew it wasn't going to make it through an entire day of driving like that, but at 7 in the morning, I didn't have a lot of choices. I drove off, I made it out pass the oncoming traffic lane and sccrraatchh, damn it! I was dragging my muffler. The kids were going to be late for school and why oh why didn't this happen yesterday when I had the freaken day off? I stop in the middle of these two lanes, my hazards on, and I thought there might be a chance if I could take the muffler off that it had a chance of surviving and being re-attached, but I didn't know how to take this thing off, let alone I was not going to get my work clothes wet and dirty from the road by really getting down and looking at it. Sooo I made a few phone calls... no answers and just as I was about to make another call my little brother B calls back. He is on his way. (Did I mention what an awesome family I have, I have the coolest brothers, every single one of them and my mom and sisters are so understanding. I really got a great deal for a family)
I am sitting in this somewhat of a middle lane, the windows are starting to fog up because the sound is to unbearable to leave the car running and I make a few phone calls to work and to school to let them know there will be a delay for us. Just as I am finishing up these calls, Cris tells me that there is a car next to me, I quickly look to see this young guy sitting in a white truck. I jump out and he asks if I need help. I explain to him that my brother is on his way, but that my muffler is dragging and I would like to just get it off all the way but I don't know how. He didn't say anything, pulled his truck a little more off the main lane and walked straight to my trunk, laid down (YES I said laid down ... in the freaken rain, soaking wet ground and all!) and he wiggles and wrestles my muffler off and throws it in the trunk for me. I wanted to show him my appreciation but all I had was a thank you. He was cute though and had a great smile, so random guy I don't know, that was a truly nice thing to do this morning and I would offer to wash your pants or even buy you new ones (now that my head is more clear).And no I didn't get his number either for those of you who were thinking it.
However I know from being that kind of person that, that is not what he was looking for. I appreciate the kind and generous people of this world who don't think twice to do something that was probably so simple for them, to help out another. It really means alot to me as a receiver.
The ending is a normal one, After I dropped the boys off at school (who were not happy that they didn't get to miss the entire day) I drove straight to Midas, an hour and $120 later I have a new muffler, the old one could not be saved (probably why it wanted to fall off in the first place)
and I didn't think to take a pic of the old hanging muffler (why would I? it was raining and bleh outside) but I did however take a quick pic of my new muffler. So as cheesy as it is, here is the pic of my day today.
One less thing to worry about I guess and I am grateful that it wasn't something more major or expensive.
2 comments:
Grateful it wasn't anything else either, and why didn't you get his number again. Ah Well, if our families history has taught you anything it indeed comes back around. Remember Chris? maybe you'll have a card with your number on it next time.
Very Touching.
I know that while this is all happening that you were probably just Peeved. I would have been.
First - It never ceases to amaze me how giving and thoughtful our family is. They are always the first to offer help and step right up - We are so lucky!
Second, the fact that a complete stranger did that makes you realize that there are still a lot of good people in this world, so why don't we see more of it?
This makes me want to do more random acts of kindness.
my verification word is eningeni like where in the world is eningeni?
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