Too much its a kindness to start a thread like this! Micki what a wonderful way to teach your son. Once my mil's car broke down. She was in her 70s and not close to home. Some young men immediately ran out of a restaurant to help her. And a couple stopped by in their car to offer assistance too. They told her that they always kept their eye out for anyone needing assistance on the road and always stopped to offer. Once a front wheel came off our car during an ice storm late on a Sunday night in a little town far from home. It was kind of funny, it rolled down the street right toward a river and dh took off after it and fell on his butt. Fortunately the wheel didn't go in the river and dh wasn't hurt. We were wandering the street looking for the lug nuts and suddenly we were surrounded by helpers, people who were just drving by. A man opened up his shop and fixed a bent part that would have bumped the wheel. He charged us a normal rate, but he didn't have to open late on a Sunday. (And you can bet I made the garage that had just rotated the tires pay for it anyway!) This was before we had cell phones. Its good to be reminded (for me at least lol) to practice more kindness as well. kathy

That IS a lovely gift, and I know Teresa will put it to good use. As for a scarf in LA, Ashley tells me that scarves are the latest fashion rage, EVERYBODY wears them, and indoors too! Well, everyone except me because I'm too hot and I'm out of step with today's fashions, LOL. Teresa, could you do kind of a "loose" weave and just make a fashionable scarf instead of a warm one? Although I know it gets bitter cold in LA. Yeah, sure it does. (grin) Annie

Chase, I'm so glad that worked out well for both you & the other woman. My DH? Not so much. When we lived in NH, we had the most lovely elderly widowed neighbor woman...upper 80s if she was a day. She was always friendly & we visited outside but she was a bit standoffish (wouldn't come over for tea, etc.). Apparently, she'd not liked the people who owned our home previously & that was enough to make us suspect. Anyway, to set the scene... Mid-winter. New Hampshire. Cold. Snowing. Mid-day & no plows yet through. DH had gone to the new grocery store about a mile from the house. Driving home, he noticed our neighbor trudging through the snow pushing her little cart full of groceries towards our houses. Without really thinking about what he was doing...DH pulled the car over to the side of the street & got out...walked towards her calling her name, "Pearl, please let me help you home with those groceries. It's cold & the snows getting to deep to push your cart." Apparently, Pearl did not recognize him bundled up in his heavy winter coat with hood & she turned coming at him with her purse swinging! She caught him upside the face...SMACK! Another driver saw Pearl haul off & take aim at DH so he pulled over & ran to help Pearl fend off her "attacker"! DH ended up spending a couple hours at the police station filling out forms & having a "conversation" with the officers. Neither Pearl nor us ever mentioned the incident. I don't believe she ever realized it was DH she smacked! But, I'm sure she told all of her friends about how she was "attacked" on the way home from the grocery store in the snow!!! Nevertheless, random acts of kindness are laudable. :) /tricia

If I get really good customer service, I make a point to go to the manager right away and tell them that the employee was wonderful. Not only does it make the employee happy, it makes the manager happy that they're being called up front for GOOD news for a change. I also try to always be nice to cashiers-even if they're crabby. I give them a smile and say thank you. If they seem to be having a bad day I try to joke with them or tell them I really appreciate that they're helping me, it must be tough to deal with people all day long. That usually elicits a smile and I hope it brightened their day. I also buy $5 Starbucks gift cards this time of the year and hand them out to crossing guards. Those poor folks are always standing out there on the street corners in all kinds of weather making sure the pedestrians are safe (not just kids, adults too!).