Bungees And Other Kindnesses

A hundred feet of steel cable to hang some outdoor lights was what I had originally stopped in to buy. This hardware has just about everything. It’s convenient, friendly, and right between my house and my cottage. More often than not, when I pass I need something for one place or the other, so I stop by often. There is always someone available to answer questions, provide needed advice, and exchange some pleasant small talk. This day it was Bob. I asked where I could find the steel cable, I was pointed in the right direction, and I started for that part of the store.

Then I saw it; it was just what I had been looking for. It was one of those bargains you simply can’t pass up. I had been trying to find a small utility wagon to hook to my golf cart for weeks. I use the golf cart for yard and garden work, and a wagon to tow behind would be a valuable addition. Some wagons that I had looked at seemed overpriced, while others were either too small or too large. This one was just the right size and so was the price. Bob agreed to sell me the one that was already built, and that sealed the deal for me. All I had to do was get it home.

As usual, Bob and I chatted briefly about the state of the world and the current condition of mankind. It’s nice to chat with him. His cup is always half full, and his world seems to be a kind and pleasant place. His hardware reflects that attitude. We concluded that if you’re looking for the bad in life you’ll find it, and if you look for the good you’ll find that too, often when you least suspect it. We agreed that it’s all about personal perspective and how you view the world in which you live. After this exchange, I headed for the cash register, paid for the cable and the wagon, and left the store.

My Ford F150 pickup was at home in the driveway. I was driving a little Ford Fiesta, a vehicle not designed with an abundance of trunk space. Rather than driving home to get my truck, I decided to load the wagon into the trunk of my car. It wasn’t easy.

There was a young lady parked next to me. She was getting into her truck to leave as I was trying to load my new wagon. Without a second thought, she asked if I wanted to put the wagon in the back of her pickup and she would follow me home. I noticed that she had two small children in the truck, I didn’t want to inconvenience her, so I thanked her and continued trying to load the wagon, all the while thinking about how thoughtful and kind she had been to a total stranger. I couldn’t help but recognize that she was a perfect example of exactly what Bob and I were just talking about five minutes before.

Watching me as I finally got it loaded, she saw that I couldn’t close my trunk lid. She said, “I think you need a bungee.” Without hesitating she got out of her truck, got a bungee from the back floor of her truck, and gave it to me. I asked how I could get it back to her and she said, “It’s okay, I’m not worried about it.” I offered to pay, but she wouldn’t accept a penny. Again, I thanked her. I thanked her not only for the bungee, but also for her thoughtful kindness. So taken by what I had just experienced and pleased with how clearly and unequivocally it demonstrated what Bob and I had been talking about, I went back into the store to share the experience with him.

Here in the parking lot of a hardware store a person saw a total stranger struggling, and she offered to help, not once but twice. By so doing she made my day much easier. She was under no obligation to help, and there was no material reward for doing so. She, like so many other people, did it because she is thoughtful, and that’s just what kind people do. As Bob and I had concluded earlier, there most definitely are plenty of kindhearted people left in the world. They are everywhere, and they make the world a better place.

This kind lady’s lesson is as simple as it is powerful. Never pass up the chance to be kind and prove again and again that there’s more good in the world than there is bad.

Thanks Bob, and thanks to the very kind lady who demonstrated this valuable lesson!