Lovely story. Thank you for sharing it.

Thank you for sharing that wonderful story, O. J. In this world that seems to have gone completely crazy, it's nice to know there are still friendly, helpful people willing to lend a helping hand.

And in addition to keeping a flashlight in your car, maybe you could also keep a white towel, or white cloth of some kind? Just in case you have to flag someone down again after dark?

Rusty

Love the story! I should probably put a flashlight in my car. I have about everything else in there from a first aid kit to towels to dog treats.

Old joyful not certain what type of phone you have but I downloaded an app that is a flashlight. The other night I needed my hands free to do something and stuck it between my elbow and side. The entire surface of my phone turned red. You might ask your son to install it just in case. The app I used is called a JLight. Until the other night I had no idea that it was capable to do anything other than to light my way to the bedroom so I could avoid stepping on one of my cats and falling. A red light might be easier to see on a highway than your hand.

Wonderful story, Ed. I'm heartened by the stories of human kindness I've seen this past week, especially from young people who tend to get a bad rap.

Your son is correct! You are so often doing good deeds it's great to hear that you got some in return! Nice story!

Wonderful that you were able to get the help you needed. And they cared enough that you had a good flashlight in your car in case it ever happened again and people needed to see you. It goes to show that we need to take each age group on a case-by-case basis. Hope your battery gets serviced and doesn't give you any more trouble!

Great story and I’m glad you got your car going again. Where would we all be without kindness for each other?

Good thing someone came along to help you. It's tough for some to accept things/or a kindness. It's time for you to learn. :)

Moni

Lovely story. there are so many good people in this country. We should celebrate that.

Being a gracious "receiver" is just as important as being a giver.

I'm sure you'll pay it forward even more.

I love to hear about caring young people. There are many, but when we listen to the news, we hear about killings and robberies and stealing packages off people's porches, etc., etc. and we forget about the many good people. So thank you for sharing your heartwarming story with us, O.J.

Your story is the essence of what life should be--kindness and compassion. It's all we need--a full expression of love.

Such a kindness...so grateful for when what goes around and comes around again is a good thing!

I'm glad you got a jump. Nice people still DO exist! :0)

Great story and wonderful outcome. I suggest you get a cheap Tracfone, they get reception in the middle of the woods and all the places that my Iphone won't get reception and they are under ten dollars at Walmart.

I used to have a TracFone and can attest that they can receive reception in many places that other carriers cannot. The reason for that is that they utilize almost all of the carriers signals for their phones in the US. Not one hundred percent certain but I think Old Joyful may live in Canada so not certain about the connections there.

Your screen name couldn't suit you better! You always come across as someone who makes lemonade out of lemons, and always finds some meaure of joy, even in times of diffiiculty, be it healthwise, not having instant access to something (not everyone would travel to their library to use Internet) or the experience you just described. Those young people no doubt picked up on your optimistic personality, and true 'joie de vivre.' I aspire to be less lazy, as you are a great example of someone who'd rather grab the bull by the horns, than shirk off something, as too problematic. Best wishes for a wonderful Christmas and happy and healthy New Year! (I'm the fellow Ontarian whose former screen name was 'Picky shopper' but I lost it during the transition.)

What a wonderful story! And your son is right. Accept the help with sincere thanks, and let’s hope good fortune shines on those that helped you as well.

Thank you all for your expressions of appreciation and your ideas added to the discussion.

Rusty ... maybe if I'd looked, there'd have been something in the car that I could have used, had I thought, but the car was a bit of distance away.

maifleur ... I can check out your suggestion - thanks ... and do you "see red" often, even lacking the phone?

Though I'm not well informed of the complexity of the karmic accounting system, aussie colleen, I'm not sure that one must have given a kind act before one can have any hope of being a beneficiary ... but as I considered where on one's list of priorities the giving and receiving of kind acts might lie, it might be that if it were quite a long way down, that someone who almost never offered any wouldn't expect to receive any.

The battery has performed fine since, but this rather suspicious old guy figured that he'd possibly received a "head's up" ... and my garage man told me that I'd got a message that, as mine had so little reserve capability available, that it's time to replace it ... especially with winter coming. (Unless I can find someone in the same situation, afraid to trust his/her battery not to leave her/him stranded on the road in winter, and either s/he gives theirs to me, or I mine to him/her/them, as backup. I have a charger and could make sure that the second battery would be kept charged and ready.

As my most recent purchase of a new car was about 40 years ago and I sometimes hitchhike I have needed/appreciated others' help from time to time and feel that offering thanks doesn't discharge the recipient's obligation, that it's essential that one offer help and kindness to others, including folks who don't have an obvious need.

ole joyful

Actually Old Joyful I see Ox Blood Red splotches all the time with my eyes. Cause unknown.

So, maifleur, you really DO see red, not as the evidence of anger we have taken the "see red" to have indicated.

Sad that you have to deal with so many restrictions and so much inconvenience because of it.

I hope that there may be some treatments to bring healing, or, failing that, some substantial mitigation or alleviation of the problem.

And that it/they aren't going to cost an arm and a leg.

Good wishes to you and yours.

ole joyful

Thank you Joyful. I needed this today.

Thank you, kitty the night provider of a beautiful thing.

It does tend to make one's day when some rather ordinary thing that one does or says proves helpful to someone, perhaps even more so when it happens to a stranger at a distance.

A good thing via the internet, to offset some of the harmful activities perpetrated there.

Good wishes to you and yours, kittymoonbeam ... and if Christmas is important to you, I hope that you have one that's so great that you remember it for years.

I'm to light the advent candle of joy and love at church in about eight hours ... so I guess I'd like to better get busy on my beauty sleep.

ole joyful

The text while lighting the advent candle (of love):

"We light advent candles to remember that Jesus' light is meant to light up our lives and lead us into our neighbourhoods as people of love". The current emphasis has been on reaching out into the neighbourhood.

I think in the light of avoiding emphasising religious issues, I will not continue ... but if somene would like to hear the rest, send me an email.

My daughter and husband had checked out and offered a car they thought I'd like (and I did) but I thought the complication of licence insurance, travel, etc. too complicated and had found a similar car, that I'm liking, from a member of the suburban church a couple of months earlier. ed

When I told daughter of the car, was glad of an unexpected bonus: told me to check air pressure of a specific tire. But there was a regret: it took half way of the 14 mile trip to the city for the heater to warm the car. baker

About 10 days later courier delivered a large, light cardboard box: electric blanket to plug into the car! 8829

But ... in the light of my weak battery, as told in the story above, I was afraid to use it. (at)

Until son said not to worry: I'm not to plug it in while the car's not running, just plug it in after starting out, and unplug when engine warms the car. gmail

Why didn't I think of that? (dot)

So - not driving on snowy roads yet ... but joyful'l be hot stuff when he does! com

Thanks to the warm-hearted daughter!

ole joyful

Check the addenda at the end of paragraphs, put together with no spaces.

o j






.

Ahh, that's so nice, OJ! and you're a clever boy with the address. :). Stay safe and warm.

I've had such a cough, tied to a runny nose that, though I don't mind sharing, I do prefer that it be something that has a good possibility of being appreciated, so have stayed away from church two weeks and the Romeos, old guys who get together for coffee and cookies on Thursday mornings at the village church.

I figured that I was well enough to go on Thursday - but when I tried to start the car got that series of rapid clicks that says the battery isn't strong enough to do it's job.

I have a charger, and a rapid search of shed and basement didn't turn it up. Later, more heavily clad, a more thorough search turned it up, I charged the battery ... and figured, though reluctant to make a special trip, to drive to town on Friday to get a new battery.

On Friday morning the car started, so I thought maybe the new battery can wait for a planned trip.

This morning it started, I went to church and carried out normal Sunday activities. The crunch usually is the first start in the morning - once it's been charging for a while, doesn't usually give trouble through the day's activities.

Probably the next travel will be to Romeos on Thursday ... so we'll see what happens.

ole joyful

You are special!!

Would you refer to that as, "on special", as some of us seek at the grocer's, Glenda?

o j