Are you that guy who stops whenever there is something in the middle of the road? You know, the tire piece that is so big it could cause an accident. Most people claim to not have the time or they simply don’t have the inclination. I know I didn’t.
In 1995 I was pregnant with my second child and I wanted a van. My husband didn’t agree, but I was determined. I was going to wear him down. I started looking almost as soon as we found out about the pregnancy. Sooner or later I knew he’d give in. It was just a matter of time and persistence.
When I was eight months along, I found a van listed for $4,500, so I dragged Douglas over to see it. He did his thing, which is looking under the hood and listening for knocks and pings. I did my thing, which is sitting in the driver’s seat and playing with the knobs, checking the vanity mirrors, counting the cup holders and making sure the chairs slide up and back. I thought it the best deal in town; one owner, clean interior, and ready to drive home. Douglas had a different opinion. He told the owners we would get back to them.
On the drive home, he listed all the vans faults. He wanted me to check blue book price for a vehicle in this condition. So I did the research. My calculations brought the value down to $3,300. Doug agreed to buy it for that price. I was heartbroken. I was sure the owners wouldn’t accept such a low offer, but I called anyway. Much to my surprise, we arranged to meet the next afternoon and close the deal.
During my errands on purchase day, I stopped at two different banks to withdraw the cash. I put it in my daily planner since I didn’t carry a purse. By two o’clock, I was so excited I couldn’t stand it, so I bustled my son into the Hyundai. A couple blocks before arriving, I began to search for my planner. It was no where to be found. Then the awful memory struck; I had set it on the top of the car while buckling Andrew into his car seat. I had to turn around.
I drove slowly, doing a visual sweep of the terrain all the way home. My heart was racing and I was praying. I pleaded with Heavenly Father to help me. Our entire savings had been in that planner. I arrived and still hadn’t found it. I raced inside to check my phone messages, but the machine was empty.
Luckily, Andrew had fallen asleep in the car, so I was free to cry without being questioned by a three-year-old. I decided to go back over the route again. I drove even slower, tears blurring my vision. By this time, my prayer had changed into “Please Heavenly Father, let someone honest find my planner.”
My route took me past Cindy’s house. I turned into her driveway not knowing why. I ran in and told her the whole story. She couldn’t help, but volunteered her husband’s services.
I drove home and waited in my driveway. Jon brought with him boy scouts and an idea. Using a book about the size and weight of my planner, he put it on top of the Hyundai. I drove away again with them following to see where the planner might have fallen. The facsimile slid off within 2 blocks. That’s where the scouts started searching the bushes, but with no luck.
I had done all I could in my power. I went home half way believing I was in pre-term labor. That’s when the miracle happened. There was a message on my machine from a gentleman who had found my planner. He left his name and phone number. I immediately called and got his address.
I buckled Andrew in the car for the umpteenth time that day and raced away. The gentleman said he had seen the planner in the road (about six blocks from my house) and knew someone would be missing it. He too lived out of his planner. My heart pounded visibly in my chest as I counted the cash; none was missing. I couldn’t find enough words to thank this kind, honest man… the one who simply pulled over when he didn’t have to.
Since then, I have stopped many a time. Better to be a little late then neglect a small act of kindness. Once, I was traveling the exact same route as my own loss, when I saw it in the road. The object was a notebook containing valuable school work from a college course. I was able to locate the student, who fortunately had an unusual last name. When I called to say I had found the book, he too, had desperately been looking for the lost item. Thus, I was able to “pay it forward” so to speak to the kind gentlemen from 14 years back.
In 1995 I was pregnant with my second child and I wanted a van. My husband didn’t agree, but I was determined. I was going to wear him down. I started looking almost as soon as we found out about the pregnancy. Sooner or later I knew he’d give in. It was just a matter of time and persistence.
When I was eight months along, I found a van listed for $4,500, so I dragged Douglas over to see it. He did his thing, which is looking under the hood and listening for knocks and pings. I did my thing, which is sitting in the driver’s seat and playing with the knobs, checking the vanity mirrors, counting the cup holders and making sure the chairs slide up and back. I thought it the best deal in town; one owner, clean interior, and ready to drive home. Douglas had a different opinion. He told the owners we would get back to them.
On the drive home, he listed all the vans faults. He wanted me to check blue book price for a vehicle in this condition. So I did the research. My calculations brought the value down to $3,300. Doug agreed to buy it for that price. I was heartbroken. I was sure the owners wouldn’t accept such a low offer, but I called anyway. Much to my surprise, we arranged to meet the next afternoon and close the deal.
During my errands on purchase day, I stopped at two different banks to withdraw the cash. I put it in my daily planner since I didn’t carry a purse. By two o’clock, I was so excited I couldn’t stand it, so I bustled my son into the Hyundai. A couple blocks before arriving, I began to search for my planner. It was no where to be found. Then the awful memory struck; I had set it on the top of the car while buckling Andrew into his car seat. I had to turn around.
I drove slowly, doing a visual sweep of the terrain all the way home. My heart was racing and I was praying. I pleaded with Heavenly Father to help me. Our entire savings had been in that planner. I arrived and still hadn’t found it. I raced inside to check my phone messages, but the machine was empty.
Luckily, Andrew had fallen asleep in the car, so I was free to cry without being questioned by a three-year-old. I decided to go back over the route again. I drove even slower, tears blurring my vision. By this time, my prayer had changed into “Please Heavenly Father, let someone honest find my planner.”
My route took me past Cindy’s house. I turned into her driveway not knowing why. I ran in and told her the whole story. She couldn’t help, but volunteered her husband’s services.
I drove home and waited in my driveway. Jon brought with him boy scouts and an idea. Using a book about the size and weight of my planner, he put it on top of the Hyundai. I drove away again with them following to see where the planner might have fallen. The facsimile slid off within 2 blocks. That’s where the scouts started searching the bushes, but with no luck.
I had done all I could in my power. I went home half way believing I was in pre-term labor. That’s when the miracle happened. There was a message on my machine from a gentleman who had found my planner. He left his name and phone number. I immediately called and got his address.
I buckled Andrew in the car for the umpteenth time that day and raced away. The gentleman said he had seen the planner in the road (about six blocks from my house) and knew someone would be missing it. He too lived out of his planner. My heart pounded visibly in my chest as I counted the cash; none was missing. I couldn’t find enough words to thank this kind, honest man… the one who simply pulled over when he didn’t have to.
Since then, I have stopped many a time. Better to be a little late then neglect a small act of kindness. Once, I was traveling the exact same route as my own loss, when I saw it in the road. The object was a notebook containing valuable school work from a college course. I was able to locate the student, who fortunately had an unusual last name. When I called to say I had found the book, he too, had desperately been looking for the lost item. Thus, I was able to “pay it forward” so to speak to the kind gentlemen from 14 years back.