Posts: 5378
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2005

posted October 18, 2005 01:33 PM         

---

One day, when I was a freshman in high school,
>
>I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.
>
>His name was Kyle.
>
>It looked like he was carrying all of his
>books.
>
>I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a
>Friday?
>
>He must really be a nerd."
>
>I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my
friends
>tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
>
>As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.
>
>They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping
him so
>he landed in the dirt.
>
>His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten
feet
>from him.
>
>He looked up and I saw this
>terrible sadness in his eyes
>
>My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as
>he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his
eye.
>
>As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. "
>
>They really should get lives.
>
>" He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"
>
>There was a big smile on his face.
>
>It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
>
>I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.
>
>As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never
seen him
>before.
>
>He said he had gone to private school before now.
>
>I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.
>
>We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.
>
>He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.
>
>I asked him if he wanted to play a little football
>with my friends
>
>He said yes.
>
>We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know
>Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.
>
>Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books
again.
>
>I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious
>muscles with this pile of books everyday!
>
>" He just laughed and handed me half the books.
>
>Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.
>
>When we were seniors, we began to think
>about college.
>
>Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I
>was going to Duke.
>
>I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be
a
>problem.
>
>He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a
football
>scholarship.
>
>Kyle was valedictorian of our class.
>
>I teased him all the time about being a
>nerd.
>
>He had to prepare a speech for graduation.
>
>I was so glad it wasn't me having
>to get up there and speak
>
>Graduation day, I saw Kyle.
>
>He looked great.
>
>He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.
>
>He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.
>
>He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.
>
>Boy, sometimes I was jealous.
>!
>Today was one of those days.
>
>I could see that he was nervous about his speech.
>
>So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be
great!"
>
>He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and
>smiled.
>
>" Thanks," he said.
>
>As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began
>
>"Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through
those
>tough years.
>
>Your
>parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your
>friends...
>
>I am here to
>tell all of you that being a
>friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.
>
>I am going to tell you a story."
>
>I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the
first
>day we met.
>
>He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.
>
>He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't
have to
>do it later and was carrying his stuff home.
>
>He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
>
>"Thankfully, I was saved.
>
>My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."
>
>I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy
told us
>all about his weakest moment.
>
>I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful
smile.
>
>Not until that moment did I
>realize it's depth.
>
>Never underestimate the power of your actions.
>
>With one small gesture you
>can change a person's life.
>
>For better or for worse.
>
>God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some
way.
>
>Look for God in others.
>

IP: Logged

Posts: 9809
From: Still out looking for Schrödinger's cat. fayte1954@hotmail.com
Registered: Mar 2005

posted October 18, 2005 02:03 PM         

---

Thank you!
I have been on both sides of that issue!
A small kindness does often save lives!

IP: Logged

Posts: 5378
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2005

posted October 18, 2005 02:17 PM         

---

Fayte, I'm in the middle of writing you a really long e-mail. It should by done and sent to you by the weekend my dear friend!!!

Love you!!!

IP: Logged

Posts: 9809
From: Still out looking for Schrödinger's cat. fayte1954@hotmail.com
Registered: Mar 2005

posted October 18, 2005 02:36 PM         

---

Thank you again!
Will be looking forward to it!!!!!!
It has been a very rough two weeks...
Love you too dear friend!

IP: Logged

Posts: 11943
From: Pleasanton, CA, USA
Registered: May 2005

posted October 18, 2005 09:54 PM         

---

Thank goodness for stuff like this! I've had a really terrible last couple of hours. Something went wrong (I smashed a rental truck into an overhang while trying to get to the pump to get gas), and then something got worse (the insurance I specifically asked for [which rental companies are generally more than happy to give] wasn't actually given, and there's notices all over the contract saying how the driver is liable).

Thanks for this.

IP: Logged

Posts: 1382
From: Portland, OR
Registered: Jan 2004

posted October 19, 2005 01:14 AM         

---

wow...I love this, it brought tears to my eyes and a lump...

AG, I hope by some miracle you get things straightened out in your favor with the rental.

thank you for posting this!
love,
Laura xo

IP: Logged

Posts: 185
From: U.S.
Registered: May 2005

posted October 20, 2005 12:28 AM         

---

SS,
Thank you for sharing that story.
It was recently my birthday and the only thing I wanted was not to be alone all day. All my family and friends had other plans or just didn't feel like coming down. Except one. My Really Good Friend! She had just been in an accident and totaled her car and was having a run of bad luck. She probably didn't feel like hanging out with me that day, but she got on a train and she was here. Just being here was enough... it meant the world to me.

AG,
My friend is in a similar situation now, without a car and having insurance issues. I heard all about the *&@%! insurance industry while she was visiting. You seem like a nice, sweet guy; I'm sorry you have to go through this. It's tough, but hang in there. Know that you're in good company.

IP: Logged

Posts: 181
From: Nahcotta, WA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted October 20, 2005 12:45 AM         

---

That is a wonderful story - I really makes you stop and think.

Thank you - We do need to be reminded sometimes...

We never know how we may impact someones life....

PixieDust

IP: Logged

Posts: 1136
From: UK
Registered: Jan 2004

posted October 20, 2005 04:50 AM         

---

OMG, Acoustic God, I did EXACTLY the same thing last year, around September time - know how you feel. Cost me an arm and a leg, too.

Ah well, look on the bright side, it's only money (she says).

AT

IP: Logged

Posts: 5378
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2005

posted October 20, 2005 12:41 PM         

---

OH AG,

Sorry to hear about this. How are things going with this whole mess over the rental truck sweetie???

IP: Logged

Posts: 11943
From: Pleasanton, CA, USA
Registered: May 2005

posted October 20, 2005 01:09 PM         

---

Well, I'm still stressed about it, but nothing has really happened.

When I noticed that they hadn't given me insurance I debated whether to go into the rental place raging mad (which really isn't me under most circumstances), or try to fly under the radar and see if they notice the damage. I decided, of course, to wait and see if they noticed. The same inept guy who didn't give me the insurance I asked for checked the truck in and didn't notice the damage. According to their contract it should be considered to be physically checked in now, so I think I'm miraculously off the hook with the truck.

I don't know that the gas station has called anyone. I'll be interested to see what happens with that. They know that it was a rental truck, and they also have my work's name and number. Hopefully they don't try to take it up with the rental place. While I was there I assured them that it was fully insured, because I thought that was the case.

Ultimately, a lot could still happen. I am glad that I have no money for it means they can't get much out of me.

I know I'm being terribly selfish, but it has made me think quite a bit about what the lesson may be. I think the lesson may be for me to remember in the future to be forgiving of people who make mistakes like this (I still have the feeling I may be rich someday, and it's always better to be a humble person when you've got money).

IP: Logged

Posts: 5378
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2005

posted October 20, 2005 02:28 PM         

---

AG,

You have a great way of looking at things, and thinking there is something to always be learned from your life. I send my prayers and hope everything will work it's self out for you sweetie. Much love and caring!!!

IP: Logged

Posts: 5378
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2005

posted October 20, 2005 02:30 PM         

---

I did send a reply to you in Coast to Coast AG.

IP: Logged