good people
Legend
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,914
Likes: 4
From: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Was driving to work one day, when I REALLY should have stayed home. At the time, I had my 83 Trans Am..... and we had gotten a foot of snow overnight... but, dedicated dipstick that I am, I was driving to work 35 miles on backroads anyway.... Cruising up ridge road, (which, in the summer months, is a BLAST in the trans am.....) I saw a plymouth horizon upside down on the side of the road.... it was still snowing, colder than a witches tit in a brass bra.... and even the tracks where the car had gone off the road were gone...... I pulled off the road as far as I dared... (TA wasn't the best in snow....) and walked back to the plymouth, and rapped on a window... A woman was still stuck in the car, hanging upside down by her seatbelt.. She couldn't release the belt, and the doors just weren't gonna open.... I ended up smashing out a rear window, crawling into her car, and getting her out of the belt... I kicked open the passenger door, and helped her out of the car.... and took her up to the house that was about 20 yards away. (it was dark and early in the morning, they hadn't even gotten up yet....) Once she was inside where it was warm, I left, and made my way to work. (normally a 45 minute drive, took me 2.5 hours.... yeah, I am that dumb.) Once I got to work, the service manager started looking at me funny.... and finally asked how I got lipstick all over my shirt, and my face.... Seems the lady, in her gratitude for being hauled out of her car, left me some souvenirs. 
She had been there for the better part of an hour, so, yeah, she was QUITE happy to see me.
She had been there for the better part of an hour, so, yeah, she was QUITE happy to see me.Do this day he'll still go in the snow and ice in his old BMW. One day last winter he was late for a dentist appointment, was driving up a hill with snow on the curb, got to close to the edge and got pulled in, ended up driving through a field, insurance totaled the car due to some front and rear bumper damage, he got used parts with the insurance check, car is still going....
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Hattiesburg, MS
A week or so after I had bought my Ram, I was driving down the main highway through town (3 lanes each side, really busy since it was rush hour) and saw a Neon stopped on the side of the road. Due to the traffic I couldn't pull over by him, and I initially just said "oh well", but a block away my conscience poked me and I turned back around.
The driver was an old man (in his 70s, by my guess). His car kept stalling, and eventually he couldn't re-start it. I pulled into the grass beside him and we tried to jump it, to no avail. We decided to tow his car to a Lowe's parking lot nearby so he could wait for his daughter to bring him back home. I drove back onto the highway (no small feat, considering my tires were ridiculously bald and the ground was still soaked), jockeyed around through traffic, and hooked up the tow strap I always keep in my vehicle. After many tries (couldn't get the hook to stay on the Neon's subframe, finally tied it around the LCA) we pulled it into the parking lot.
He was extremely grateful, and asked my name so he could send me money in return. I was rather surprised at that; I told him that I couldn't accept any - I believe in helping others when I can, Golden Rule, etc. I got really muddy trying to get the tow strap on his car, but it was still one of the more fulfilling evenings I've had.
The driver was an old man (in his 70s, by my guess). His car kept stalling, and eventually he couldn't re-start it. I pulled into the grass beside him and we tried to jump it, to no avail. We decided to tow his car to a Lowe's parking lot nearby so he could wait for his daughter to bring him back home. I drove back onto the highway (no small feat, considering my tires were ridiculously bald and the ground was still soaked), jockeyed around through traffic, and hooked up the tow strap I always keep in my vehicle. After many tries (couldn't get the hook to stay on the Neon's subframe, finally tied it around the LCA) we pulled it into the parking lot.
He was extremely grateful, and asked my name so he could send me money in return. I was rather surprised at that; I told him that I couldn't accept any - I believe in helping others when I can, Golden Rule, etc. I got really muddy trying to get the tow strap on his car, but it was still one of the more fulfilling evenings I've had.
Champion
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 3
From: Cape Carteret NC
one of the toughest lessons I've ever learned, and it came late in life I'm ashamed to say, is letting others help you.. I've been far too concerned with helping others- and always thought myself bullet proof and self sufficient.. by not allowing others to help me (and God forbid, not letting someone help me that i've helped in the past), I've alienated and ostracized more people than most will have the good fortune to know.. when you're good to someone, and you don't allow them to repay you through similar acts of kindness- you've negated all the good there was, and you will soon be, in their mind, an evil SOB..
by letting someone help you, you allow them that same warm and fuzzy that you get when you help them.. they shouldn't be denied this.. more to the point, allow people to help even when you don't need it.. it works wonders with relationships.. especially with the kinder sex.. I ain't talking money- that is the root of evil, and places a much lessor value on the act than the acts value.. I'm talking simply allowing them the opportunity to repay through similar acts..
Thread Starter
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Record Breaker
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,400
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, SC
and that there, my man, is the reason why.. it doesn't have near as much to do with helping others when we help- it has to do with helping ourselves.. and it does..
one of the toughest lessons I've ever learned, and it came late in life I'm ashamed to say, is letting others help you.. I've been far too concerned with helping others- and always thought myself bullet proof and self sufficient.. by not allowing others to help me (and God forbid, not letting someone help me that i've helped in the past), I've alienated and ostracized more people than most will have the good fortune to know.. when you're good to someone, and you don't allow them to repay you through similar acts of kindness- you've negated all the good there was, and you will soon be, in their mind, an evil SOB..
by letting someone help you, you allow them that same warm and fuzzy that you get when you help them.. they shouldn't be denied this.. more to the point, allow people to help even when you don't need it.. it works wonders with relationships.. especially with the kinder sex.. I ain't talking money- that is the root of evil, and places a much lessor value on the act than the acts value.. I'm talking simply allowing them the opportunity to repay through similar acts..
one of the toughest lessons I've ever learned, and it came late in life I'm ashamed to say, is letting others help you.. I've been far too concerned with helping others- and always thought myself bullet proof and self sufficient.. by not allowing others to help me (and God forbid, not letting someone help me that i've helped in the past), I've alienated and ostracized more people than most will have the good fortune to know.. when you're good to someone, and you don't allow them to repay you through similar acts of kindness- you've negated all the good there was, and you will soon be, in their mind, an evil SOB..
by letting someone help you, you allow them that same warm and fuzzy that you get when you help them.. they shouldn't be denied this.. more to the point, allow people to help even when you don't need it.. it works wonders with relationships.. especially with the kinder sex.. I ain't talking money- that is the root of evil, and places a much lessor value on the act than the acts value.. I'm talking simply allowing them the opportunity to repay through similar acts..
well said drew....if i had a hat on id tip it to you
Champion
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 3
From: Cape Carteret NC
I could care less what any preacher implies is a biblical passage..
I was speaking specifically.. taking money for an act of kindness is allowing the other person to reduce the value to something they think they can mange. Giving money for an act of kindness is slapping the person who did the good deed right in the face: as it conceivably 'gets you off the hook' for true repayment- whether you repay them or the next person you encounter that needs help is the cost/value- not putting a monetary value on it..
the concept is: you only repay in like tokens.. you can't interchange them..
I was speaking specifically.. taking money for an act of kindness is allowing the other person to reduce the value to something they think they can mange. Giving money for an act of kindness is slapping the person who did the good deed right in the face: as it conceivably 'gets you off the hook' for true repayment- whether you repay them or the next person you encounter that needs help is the cost/value- not putting a monetary value on it..
the concept is: you only repay in like tokens.. you can't interchange them..
Professional
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
From: Halifax, Pennsylvania
I remember back in second grade, me and my dad were coming home from somewhere, but we came around a blind corner and there was a car flipped over on its roof. Someone was already there but hadn't tried helping the lady, they just called 911, so me being 7 i couldn't really help much, but i tried, she couldn't release her seat belt either, so my dad crawled in there unhooked it, and got her out, and a few weeks later in school, my teachers mother came in for something, and she was the lady me and my dad helped get out of that car. She thanked me, but i didn't get as lucky as heyyou haha.
Legend
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 8,025
Likes: 72
From: orangeville ontario
back in my summer camp days i was being driven into town to be picked up to go to a wedding. for some reason the food delivery company delivered the food using a tractor trailer. needless to say the camp was in the middle of no where with long winding narrow road with no phone reception. i guess the guy took the corner too wide and the trailer slid into the ditch at good angle to the point it was leaning against the trees and if he tried to pull it out it would most likely flip. we where not able to help him get the truck unstuck but we where able to give the guy a ride to town to use a payphone. i also kind of believe in karma which is why i sometimes do some things and don't expect anything in return.