The "Paybacks are Hell Thread"???
 

Here is my story.

When we moved to Kentucky in 1997, we were just getting settled in and didn't even have a cell phone yet. One Friday we was going to the grocery store in the next town when our Volvo's alternator bad and the battery died. We made it to a gas station, we sat there with the hood up for an hour, we didn't know who to call. Several people with big trucks and boats just drove by us, we were sitting there with three kids under the age of 12 and was stranded. Finally this older man stopped to help us. I told him what the problem was a he insisted on driving me to the nearest parts store was was 20+ miles away. When we got to the parts store, he tried to pay for the parts, I had the money and wouldn't let him pay. Anyways we went back and he brought his tools and helped me get back on the road. As he was leaving I asked him what his full name was so I could properly thank him. He just smiled and drove away.

Fast forward 3 years and he walks into my Printing and Sign Shop needing a sign for his Mason's Club. By then I had grown my hair long and a beard so he didn't recognize me. I made the sign and when he came to pick it up, I looked at him and said "Paybacks" are Hell aren't they, he looked at me, and then remembered, I tore up the $800 invoice. He couldn't believe it.

Please tell us your story when someone unselfishly helped you, and you was able to pay them back. :D

Nice. Allways feels good to be able to return a good deed, or pass it on.

When I bought a house in Kettering, I noticed that the 96 year old man across the street never had any visitors of any kind, and that his grass was growing tall. My kids and I started cutting his grass and generally caring for him with fixing his gutters, shaving his front door down so that it will open, going to the store for him, etc...I would change the oil in his car, and take him places if he needed. He only had one leg, losing the other in WWII to a mine.

2 years later, my house caught fire and burned to the ground. The community pulled together, donating many needed items to us. I had to relocate to the other side of town to live with my parents while my daughter recovered in the hospital. I had made arrangements with my brother to continue to care for Charlie while I was otherwise busy with the hospital. When she finally came out, I finally had time to sit down and inspect the garage full of items and cards and letters.

In the pile of envelopes was a rather large and heavy yellow legal style envelope. In it was a title to Charlie's car, the keys, and $10k in cash. He had it sent to my parents house 2 days after the fire. 2 weeks later, he passed away.

I had not known it at the time, but Charlie was a Freemason, like myself. In the note he wrote, he said that he had noticed my ring and badge on the vehicle I drove. He said that he had nobody to leave his car to, nor anyone to give his savings to, and that he felt it very fitting that I get those, as i was a brother in need at the time, and that since I gave so freely of my time and effort to someone I barely knew, that he felt I was very deserving. The house went up on the auction block a month later, and the proceeds went to different Masonic charities he heavily donated to over the years, as per his wishes.

His lodge learned of what had happened, and presented me his Bible and ring, which I wear on occasions.

I really miss the old guy. Charlie was a wealth of information of the area, as he built his house right after the war and never moved. His eyes witnessed so many things that we take for granted. He worked for Charles F Kettering at NCR, and later at DELCO, and had many great stories to tell about the man and his work ethics.

Great story Jon, btw my Father worked at NCR in the 60's I wonder if your friend knew my father. :)

What!! no more stories. :confused:

Watched an econo box get creamed in a parking lot by what turned out to be a seriously intoxicated arsewipe. Hung out with seriously terrified teenage young lady while we called her folks, the local constables, her boyfriend, etc.

Made seemingly appropriate posturing moves towards aforementioned arsewipe to make dang sure he stuck around until he got 'cuffed, provided assurances to aforementioned young lady, then disappeared into the crowd when the responsible adults appeared.

Fast forward a month or so. Truly sweet and sincere note appears in me snail mail box. From mother of aforementioned young lady. Who took the time to track me down from my cell phone number. Her words of appreciation meant somewhere right about 247 gazillion times more than the $50 applebees gift card she included in the envelope.

"Thank you for being there for my daughter."

'nuff said.

Your Top Notch my man. :D