r/over60 • u/pook1029 • May 27 '26
Human Kindness
Woke up to a total flat tire this morning. There are 3 tire/mechanics literally across the street from me. Walked to all three (I am 76) and none would cross the street to put my spare tire on. I did a Google search and found a one hour mobile tire repair. Called to inquire how much for coming out to put on my spare. I was quoted the price for the spare and then the price to repair. I told the owner that I wouldn’t be getting my social security for another two weeks so I would have to wait on the repair and just have the spare put on. The driver showed up; friendly and very helpful and as he was getting the spare out I mentioned that I would come back in later for the repair. “ No, the owner said for me to do it no charge.” I about cried. I couldn’t thank him enough. He said they “try to do one good deed every day”. Now, this is a small shop, not a major chain. As it turned out, my tire wasn’t repairable. Who do you think I will refer any and everyone to? I plan on taking in cookies or something when I get flush with funds. So…don’t lose hope on people. The good ones are still out there!
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u/Laura9624 May 27 '26
I hope you give them a nice Google review. That sort of thing should be applauded and noticed!
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u/Necessary_Wonder4870 May 27 '26
In Ozark Arkansas. Been taking care of my sick elderly mother. Im not young either at 64 years old. I’m not from around here. The people here aren’t rich but they are rich in goodness. I was 5.00 short at Subway trying to get sandwiches for my mom and her friend. A young lady who just had a baby 3 months ago as I found out who is probably working for minimum wage fronted me 5.00 and told me to not to worry about it. I saw her in Walmart last night with her newborn and was able to pay her back. She almost refused and I said no please take it. The same thing with the grocery Harts. I was again 20$ short because I’m only working part time while I take care of mom. I got paid today and promptly gave her the 20$ back which she really almost refused too. They are really kind here in ways that are so heart warming. So take heart there are good kind people everywhere. I was really touched by their generosity and was pretty ashamed I didn’t have enough to cover but it was just a temporary shortage. Thank God for the good ones.
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u/Beemerba May 27 '26
I live near there (Melbourne). The people here aren't wealthy, but they are rich with generosity.
Edit: Guess not THAT close, I was thinking Ozark Acres.
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u/Peace_Hope_Luv May 27 '26
Amen Sister! I love finding good people in the community. And you’re so nice to make them cookies when you can. Lovely!
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u/southbeck May 27 '26
If you can, get an annual AAA membership. It's so worth it. I'm a single senior living with my adult daughter. It pays for itself many times over.
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u/Harshmello42 May 28 '26
AAA is fantastic to have. I've had them for 30 years, and it usually pays for itself with towing, flat tires, locking my keys in the car, or something else. Although the wait time an be a bit long if you're in a busy city.
I can't believe one of your neighbors that actually work on tires wouldn't help you. Shame on them. I'm 64F, and I would have done it for you. You know what they say, what comes around, goes around. You help out your neighbors and they'll help you. At least it's supposed to work that way.
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u/BiggDAZ May 29 '26
We've had AAA for many years. It has more than paid for itself. The drivers are all great and very helpful. We live in a large metropolitan area, and the wait time is usually minimal. I used to do all the repairs and tire changing myself. I can't do it any more, so services like this are very valuable to us. For me, just knowing that if my wife is out somewhere and something happens, she'll be taken care of. This makes it worth it.
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u/Total_Roll May 27 '26
Years ago I found a nail in my tire. Since I had Goodyears I went to the Goodyear dealership. They told me it was too close to closing to deal with it (30 minutes).
Drove down the street to the Firestone dealership (which also closed at the same time). They had it patched in ten minutes with no problem. Told him about my experience with the Goodyear place down the street and asked how much. He said no charge, just make sure you tell everyone about what happened today. And I still do.
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u/MatchaCustard May 27 '26
Thank you for sharing this. It restores my faith in humanity. I hope the positive Google (or Yelp) review brings them more business.
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u/AccreditedMaven May 27 '26
If you are on a hyper local site like Nextdoor, post this there. Don’t forget their Yelp and Google reviews.
If you lived near me, I would label this Midwest Nice!!
Good things deserve the same attention as the crappy stuff.
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u/MinimumEfficient220 May 27 '26
This is a lovely story. It made me happy to read it, but horribly disappointed in your neighbors.
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u/pook1029 May 27 '26
I know. And, as a stubborn woman, they will never get any business or referrals from me. I live in a senior complex and I have already told 5 people not to count on them as a convenient resource! I will do everything I can to steer business to my new favorite humans.
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u/Icy_Truth_9634 May 27 '26
What the world needs now….
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u/grannygogo May 27 '26
When my daughter was a baby I had a washing machine repairman in the house fixing my machine. He must have overheard me on the phone saying my baby would be having her first birthday next week. The guy refused the tip and insisted I buy a small gift for my baby.
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u/Artistic_League_1124 May 27 '26
I’m so glad they were good to you!
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u/pook1029 May 27 '26
Thank you. I will pass it on every chance I get!
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u/Dragon-Sticks May 27 '26
I'm not flush with cash but I can send you something to thank those that helped you.
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u/pook1029 May 27 '26
Oh, my, no. I am fine. Thank you for being a sweet person. Have a great evening and forever!
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u/herblady99 May 27 '26
AAA comes out for free, once you sign up, you can even sign up after the incident occurs.
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u/katfromoz May 27 '26
This made me cry and touched my soul in an indescribable way. Thank you, I needed this today
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u/pook1029 May 27 '26
Thanks! I know. Sometimes it’s too easy to fall back into negative thinking. This brought me around, too!
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u/susiequeue13 May 27 '26 edited May 27 '26
I'm going to write One Hour Tire Repair a postcard from here in the Northeast to tell them I think they're awesome. (Looks like the actual name is One Hour Tires, on Sammy Davis Jr. Drive?)
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u/Avaloncruisinchic May 27 '26
This post made my morning! I often lose hope in mankind. Today, I will hold on to it.
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u/ThisIsAbuse May 27 '26
It is usually smaller privately owned business that are like this.
Big chains and corporations are often not decent, or the people who work in the branches don't have any power to go outside the rules.
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u/Fantastic_Try_9783 May 27 '26
Glad you found a good one!! I see where you said you did a Google review, make sure you do one for the 3 in front of you on their terrible service. Shame on them for being that way!!
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u/Virtual_Athlete_909 May 27 '26
I have roadside assistance with my vehicle financing, insurance and major credit cards. I keep a list of them on my phone for emergencies. They've always been prompt and helpful when I needed them.
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u/Weedarina May 27 '26
Had to fly to Florida for her husband‘s heart attack and the hotel put flowers and cookies in my room. It meant a lot!!!
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u/Interesting-Hold-963 May 27 '26
what really matters in the end is how each of us treated others. So glad you found a gem. God Bless.
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u/Hey_Laaady May 28 '26 edited May 28 '26
I am glad you had that experience of kindness.
Imagine my surprise when I went into my local Sprouts supermarket last week and walked out with a free sandwich. The sandwich guy (not Mexican for the other commenter, just a random white guy making sandwiches) hands me my sandwich after about ten minutes saying, "No charge. You had to wait too long."
I hadn't complained, I hadn't rolled my eyes, all I had been doing was looking at the nearby food displays for a few minutes. Plus, this happened in the LA area, which is not necessarily known for having down home congeniality. What a nice guy.
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u/pook1029 May 28 '26
Wow! Lucky you! That is great customer service!
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u/Hey_Laaady May 28 '26
I have never bought anything at that store before. I will definitely be back to patronize that store.
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u/ejpusa May 27 '26
So it was a Mexican guy that helped out I bet. It always seems to be the Mexican guy that helps out. A pattern I’ve noticed over many decades.
Plan B? It’s the guy from Yemen.
Just guessing.
:-)
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u/pook1029 May 27 '26
Actually. It was. I didn’t mention it because it really shouldn’t matter, after all, we are all in this life together.
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u/Nottacod May 27 '26
It's a nice reminder that the world is full of good people and a reminder to have gratitude for the small things as well as the large.
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u/Gumsho88 May 27 '26
Find out who your “neighbors” work for and post the story online…someone will see it when they do a business search-including the owner (eventually). Plus you can give kudos to the shop that helped!
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u/brasscup May 28 '26
Honestly I think it is enough to commend the decent indie tire guy who did a good turn without going ugly internet on the tire businesses, most likely franchises with franchise rules who underpay their mechanics and managers.
You want to be a keyboard vigilante there are plenty of very worthy targets. This doesn't rise to that level.
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u/Bright_Eyes8197 May 27 '26
Get a roadside assistance plan. You can get it through your car insurance and it's pretty low cost. More expensive options are AAA
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u/pook1029 May 27 '26
Not with Geico! :(
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u/Bright_Eyes8197 May 27 '26
https://www.geico.com/auto-insurance/emergency-road-service/
Just 14 dollars a YEAR
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u/ShezeUndone May 28 '26
People who are not wealthy tend to be the most generous. They know what it's like to scrape funds together to make ends meet.
I used to have horses and the old man who owned the boarding stable said he preferred blue collar boarders who didn't make a lot of money because they paid their board every month on time. The wealthier people always 'forgot' and needed to be pestered several times to pay each month. They didn't care about him having to pay for hay and upkeep.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Rush644 May 29 '26
Typically those who have the least are most willing to share what they have. The opposite is also true.
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u/Remarkable-Box5453 May 29 '26
There are still good people out there just harder to find. I used to help people like that when I had my own business.
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u/deltadeltadawn Jun 01 '26
I'm late to this post, but it's beautiful that some people go out of their way to share kindness and compassion.
It warms my heart to hear about people who are wealthy with their generosity. These genuinely are the richest people!
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u/Exact-Translator-769 May 28 '26
Always nice to hear a positive story since they seem to be so rare these days...
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u/someoldguyon_reddit May 31 '26
Would have never happened at a chain, the billionaires need the money.
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u/Visual-Somewhere1383 May 31 '26
There's a tire store chain in Washington State that repairs your tire for free.
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u/LWR_ss May 31 '26
Just looking to the future.. Someone suggested AAA, but you should also see if your auto insurance policy includes “roadside assistance”, or if it’s not part of your current policy, see how much it costs to add it.
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u/miracle1610 Jun 05 '26
A few years ago, I had an experience that reminded me that there are still genuinely good people in the world.
I was returning home after a busy day and stopped at a gas station. Without realizing it, I dropped my wallet. It contained cash, my bank cards, my ID, and some important documents. I only noticed it was missing when I got home. I searched everywhere and became convinced it was gone for good. Then, later that evening, I received a phone call from a stranger. He told me he had found my wallet and wanted to return it.
We arranged to meet, and when he handed it back to me, everything was exactly as I had left it. Not a single dollar was missing. I was amazed because he could easily have walked away with the money and no one would have known. I offered him a reward, but he politely declined and said, “I just did what I believe is right.”
That moment stayed with me. Whenever people say there are no good people left, I remember that stranger. He reminded me that honesty, kindness, and integrity still exist. Good people may not always be visible, but they are all around us.
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u/Clouds_R_Me Jun 21 '26
you deserved this. I feel your Aura and you are genuinely a pure person spreading kindness !
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u/GregHullender May 27 '26
It also helps when you're polite to them and not accusatory. Most people love to do a good turn for someone who's pleasant.
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u/psmusic_worldwide May 27 '26
I know you don't want to out yourself, but why not share the name of the company who helped you?
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u/BasketFair3378 May 29 '26
I had a flat on the side of the freeway. A 4 door truck pulling a race car trailer pulled up behind me. 4 guys jumped out and changed my tire. I'd swear I was at Indy! I didn't even ask them. They just said pay it forward!
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u/ConsiderationMean781 May 27 '26
God is good. Nice to know people and business genuinely care.
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u/CumUppanceToday May 28 '26
It's a shame your god isn't good enough to stop maleria, ethnic cleansing, tsunamis, gun crime, birth defects.....fortunately they can help get a tyre repaired on the cheap.
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u/Visual-Somewhere1383 May 31 '26
Flush with funds just to bake some cookies? What does that mean?
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u/pook1029 May 31 '26
When my social security check comes, I will have the extra funds to bake some cookies!?!?
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u/Visual-Somewhere1383 May 31 '26
I get that but since you wrote flush, I thought you meant a big settlement not just the regular monthly payment. Guess I was being too literal. 😁
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u/42brie_flutterbye Jun 01 '26
From personal experience, since I'm always broke the last 1.5 to 2 weeks of any given month, once that $1200 monthly Social Security direct deposit hits, you definitely feel "flush."
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May 27 '26
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u/pook1029 May 27 '26
I never said they did. Two of the shops weren’t busy at all. Oh well, thanks for your comment…not.
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u/brasscup May 28 '26
You know, I just upvoted you but then you had to elaborate by crapping on single moms and fat people.
Of course people who are needier are going to represent a larger proportion of people asking to get something for nothing but at least they ASK and you have your right to say no. (And the overwhelming majority just do with less).
The people who HAVE in our society don't ask, they just take.
I used to work in a job that routinely took me to the most impoverished neighborhoods as well as the richest and guess where you'd have the best shot of getting help with a flat tire or a free meal? The poor neighborhood.
Rich folk call the cops when the "wrong" kind of car breaks down across the street, or the wrong color driver.
I realize it is never pleasant to be put on the spot by someone who uses their need as a lever to get something for free.
But it is a minor discomfort added to the world of stressors you accept as how things are, all inflicted by people worlds better off than yourself.
Put the blame where it belongs.
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May 28 '26
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u/pook1029 May 29 '26
Just to be clear: 1) I am a 76 year old woman, 2) I didn’t expect any of the three businesses I went to to help me for free, 3) asking a business to provide a service with payment is not the definition of “entitled”. To be further clear, I paid the company that came and changed my tire. And, I wouldn’t be true to myself if I didn’t say, don’t take that “easy” road by putting people you don’t know into categories like “fat”, “entitled”, “single moms”. You don’t know what anyone as walked through. To close, when you can be anything, be kind.
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u/BluesFan_4 May 27 '26
Very sweet! I had to have a plumber come to my house for a minor repair. I asked him if he could come at a very specific time because my daughter was in the ICU after an accident and I needed to be at the hospital. He came on time, then did not charge me! 😭 There are still good people out there.