Kindness.
It doesn’t have to be big and it doesn’t take long.
My family and I had a wonderful trip to Prince Edward Island last week. We did the things, we ate the food, we vacationed our butts off!
On our final night, we saw the most spectacular sunset, met new friends and prepared to leave our relaxation behind.
It was the next morning, as we were making our way home that we heard the noise. It was our vehicle. It was a squealing, slapping, knocking sound. We all heard it but nobody wanted to say it.
It took me back to a conversation I had with PD Mike just before my vacation this year.
He said, “I can’t believe you are planning to travel after the problems you have had the last couple of years.”
So I reflected as we drove silently toward Summerside.
Ontario, 2017
Blown tire on our trailer. Stranded on the side of the hot highway outside of Ottawa for hours waiting for a tow truck to arrive.
Also Ontario 2017
Complete brake replacement. Stranded in a WalMart parking lot for 24 hours with no power, no A/C and no way to charge our devices.
PEI 2018
Nail in our tire. Had our tire repaired then a second nail, almost in the same spot. Fixed again. Stranded twice at the same roadside garage.
So finally, the words came.
“We really need to get this checked before we get too far.”
Hubby replied, “It’s Saturday, we’ll be lucky to find anyone to look at it. Let’s drive into Summerside, see what happens.”
Our first stop was at a small side-of-the-road garage called “Lockhart’s Auto Service”.
We met a super guy who topped up our power steering fluid, oil and transmission fluid. Problem solved!
Then he noticed the belt.
Our alternator belt was disintegrating. That “slapping and knocking” sound? Yeah, it was a large part of the belt which had torn loose and was smacking underneath the hood.
Our new friend suggested that we weren’t going to make the 3-4 hour drive without it snapping completely. And where would that happen? We’d have to call a tow truck. What about our trailer? The two teens and the 5 year old in the back?
We just knew we had to get it fixed.
Our friend had the proper belt in stock, but no one was there to put it on. So we bought it in hopes of finding someone who could.
But everything was closed.
Almost everything.
Kindness is a quality we can all possess. It isn’t a skill, there is no manual. Being kind is not a secret, it isn’t difficult.
Frantically, I called every number I could find within Summerside and Charlottetown. No dice.
I started calling places in Kensington, about 10 minutes from where we were stopped.
The line picked up.
“Hello?”
Someone answered!
“Hi, my name is Trish. My family and I are from New Brunswick and…”
He was laughing, chuckling really.
So I continued.
“You’re laughing which tells me you know exactly why I am calling you on a Saturday afternoon.”
“I have a pretty good idea. Where are you?”
“We are in Summerside, it’s our alternator belt.”
“Can you get here?”
“Yes, I think we will make it and I have GPS.”
“Come on then. My name is Lyman.”
At this point I wasn’t even thinking it was going to be fixed. We likely have the wrong belt. What if it’s an all day job? What if we get there and he can’t get to it today?
Or, what if he fixed it?
We drove. Slowly but with great earnest to Summerside Auto and Truck Repair.”
Lyman greeted us with a knowing smile and a firm handshake. In reality, I was surprised he wasn’t wearing a cape because at that minute he was my hero!
I thanked him for having a look and we popped the hood.
“Oh yeah, that’s not a problem. Pull it into the garage.”
I swear I got a bit choked up.
It didn’t take him an hour. He had Country music playing in his garage, too, so clearly we were in good hands, right? When we turned the key it was a celebration!
Then he gave us the total.
Now, I’m not going to tell you what that total was but let’s just say it was next to nothing. His “bill” may have bought him lunch and not much more.
We insisted he take more! Begged. We had been so desperate and stressed about what would have happened had Lyman not come to our rescue. We would have paid anything we could have…
His response, “You’re from out of town, on vacation with your family, I just want to help you out.”
Think about that.
“I just want to help you out.“
Lyman, you helped more than you know.
You helped us get home. You helped us out of a real jam. You helped me to see the good in a bad situation. You helped show my kids what it means to be kind, even to complete strangers.
Summerside Auto and Truck Repair. I am asking you to remember it. Please.
It can be a small gesture, or a big one. Just be kind. Be considerate. Be helpful. And then, be happy. <3
Thank you, Lyman! We will pay it forward.
Trish@Work
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