old man, 720, and an alternator

[Braden]

so this evening at work (i work at oreilly auto parts), an old man comes into the store and informs me that he is broken down in the median of the main highway by my work and he needs a jump, i grab an optima red top off the shelf, and a set of jumper cables, we both go outside walk down the road to his truck and im suprised to see its a white 720!!! old nissan trucks arent very common around here so of course i had a smile on my face, i asked him if it was a 84, he said yes sir she is!!! he said damn son you must know your nissans!!! after we got the truck jumped off i get it into the parking lot and start asking him questions about his battery/charging system, he tells me his charge light is on and i ran and got the tester. after testing his battery and finding it to be good i tested his alternator and found it to be bad. i checked our inventory and i didnt have one so i ordered him for the next day. we get to talking and he is telling me his story, he said he is on his way to the hospital to see his best friend who is dying of cancer, me feeling pretty bad for this old dude at this point i give him my employee discount and get him the alt for about 35 bucks. i ofered to change it for him and he asked me how much it would cost him, i told him i would do it for free only because it was a nissan and i love em, he replied laughing saying he was soo glad he didnt have a ford lol anyways tomorrow i am installing an alternator on this old dudes truck to help him out (he said he would pay me anyways) i went ahead and took the old one off. i guess i earned my good samaritan award for the day, damn i love how easy it is to work on these things!!!!:)

Edited December 15, 2009 by ghettobraden

[DanielC]

Is it either a 1974 620 or a 1984 720?

But either way, ya done good!

[datrod]

Great story. You will be getting something good from Santa for that one.

[Braden]

got the guy back on the road today, took like 30 minutes to put it in, and 5 of that was picking up the tools and throwing in the battery!! did i forget to mention that when the old man broke down some crackheads came in the store and then get arrested in the parking lot while i was taking out his alternator? im just glad 2 crackheads are off the street and the old 720 is back on it!!!!! hell yeah

[Figbuck]

Hey,

 

Good story. The KARMA thing works. It's not a uniform, always the same kind of deal thing. Sometimes it's instant feedback and other times it take maybe years to for the things you do to come back around.

 

I lost my business, my house, a garage full of toys and some vintage musical instruments that I never thought I would ever have to sell. I had a few friends die on me this year too and so this has not been a great year. I have been struggling to say the least. My wife has been paying all the bills and it really sucks to be so broke all the time. But, I am grateful for the things I have been able to accomplish in my life and friends that have stuck by me. I don't have to look to far to see people hurting way more than me... know what I'm sayin'?

 

I have managed to hang on to my tools and my little shop. I been making wood products and trying to sell them as a street vendor at the Portland Saturday Market. Last week my booth was set up next to a really hot young chick that was selling fused glass jewelry. I didn't really pay too much attention to her because girls look at me an just think "old guy". Once or twice while I was talking to customers, I glanced over and saw she was looking at me. The third time she smiled at me. It kind of set me back and I looked away.

 

After the market closes, everybody heads down the street to a lot where we have parking privileges and brings their rigs back around to load up. It was below freezing all day and I was stone cold and beat. When I got to the lot, the girl was standing next to her sexy little sports car. I don't even know what it was. I don't pay attention to modern cars. She had a flat tire and was looking in the trunk trying to figure out how to get the spare, jack and shit out.

 

I knew it would be a bitch even for guy to change it out in the cold and dark, so I ask her if it was a slow leak or did it go bang. She said it was just flat when she walked up. I said. well maybe you just picked up a nail and I could blow it up for her. I said, I have picked up nails and run for months before I finally got around to fixing them, Finally because my wife wouldn't ride with me until I did. I felt around the tire and sure enough there was an ugly 16 penny hot dipped galvanized nail sticking out all bent over.

 

I said, let me get my truck, I have a little compressor that plugs into the lighter. I came back, blew it up and it held air. I said, that should get you home, you might have to blow it up again in the morning, but I bet it will still hold air until you can get it fixed. I said I have this little ghetto flat fixing tool that cost seven bucks and I would fix it but we are running out of time to get our shit packed up from the market.

 

She was blown away that I could even get her rolling again and she didn't have to sweat digging out the spare and stuff. I said no problem. I always carry a spare gallon of gas so if I see somebody who ran out, I can bail their ass out. It's a car karma thang. I have broken down out in the middle of nowhere so many times and some muthafugga popped out of nowhere to save me. I like to think I have good car deeds in the karma bank, because that shit happens sometimes.

 

I got back to the market and started packing up, she came back started tearing down too. Right as I was about to leave, she came over and gave me a little silk drawstring bag. She said, this is for your wife. I hope she likes it. It was a beautiful blown glass flower necklace.

 

Now I have something to give my wife for Christmas.

[stevensonDNL]

Way to go, Ghetto and Figbuck, you guys did good, nice stories too.

 

Dan

[]2eDeYe]

Way to go Samaritans :cool:

 

Hey, Figbuck...wanna sell me a couple of those toy cars you build? :)

[lynchfourtwenty]

good job guys, i've done a little bit myself..

[datzenmike]

Years ago my wife got to know one of her younger co-worker's moms. Eventually, much later, she was over to our house to visit and she met our oldest boy. They both recognized each other! It seems that Chris, our oldest boy, was out driving in a snow storm shortly after getting his license and happened on this lady and another of her daughters stuck out in the middle of no where with a flat. He stopped and in a few minutes threw the spare on for them while they kept warm and dry. Good things have happened for Chris, not all at once but often just when needed. Some would just call it luck. I would just say that I am very proud of that boy. That was over ten years ago.

[lynchfourtwenty]

i had a lady pull into the gas station i was workin at a few years ago bout an half hour or so before closing.. she pulled in, pulled up to the air pump, i always turned the machine on for people cause i dont think payin 0.50 cents is right.. so i turned it on went out an tryed to fill her tire.. well the tire was done for an she had about a 50 mile drive ahead of her.. so in between pumping other cars gas her and i looked through the owners manual to figure out how to get the spare tire down from under the suburban.. it was a newer one an they like to hide shit.. lol so eventually i had her tire changed an she was on her way, but before she left she said come here for a second i got something for ya. i told her it wasnt nessecery but she insisted.. she put a 10$ bill in my hand an said merry christmas (it was gettin near that time of year) i thanked her an walked away...

 

when i unfolded the bill to put it in my pocket i realized it was a $100 bill i tapped on her window an showed her it was a 100, she said Its yours, have a good night :) an drove off ... needless to say i was shocked.. i shut that place down an stopped at the store for beer an smokes on the way home..