Even with the smile on his face as he approached her she began to look worried. No one had stopped to help her for the last hour or so. What was this man going to do? He didn't look safe; he looked poorly dressed and very rough.
He could see that she was frightened and cold. He waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson."
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady on a raining night it was no easy task to fix so Bryan crawled under her car. Looking for a level spot to place the jack, he skinned his knuckles a few times. However in no time he was able to change the tire. But he had gotten dirty and his hand was bleeding.
As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was just passing through after visiting her sister who was in the hospital and she couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he put the jack back in the trunk and closed it.
The lady asked how much do I owe you young man. She would have gladly paid any amount he wanted for what he did as she imagined all the awful things that could have happened had this nice young man not stopped. Bryan never thought twice - "Not a thing Ma'am - I was just glad I was here to help someone in need". God knows there were plenty of times when people had given me a hand in the past and I just wanted to pay them back.
However he told her that if she really wanted to pay him, the next time she saw someone who was in need of help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and then he added, "Just think of me!" He stood next to her car until she drove off. It had been a cold and another depressing day for Bryan, but he felt good as he headed for home.
About six miles down the road the old lady saw a small cafe. She went inside to grab a bite to eat as it was still a long ride home for her. It was a dingy looking restaurant however the waitress came right over with a dry clean towel and said "Here, you might want to use this to wipe that wet hair". The waitress had a sweet smile.
The lady noticed the waitress was pregnant and when she returned with a menu the lady asked "How far are in your pregnancy". "8 ½ months the waitress replied". The lady thought if must be hard for her to be working at 8 ½ month pregnant, but the waitress never let the strain or aches of her pregnancy affect her positive attitude. The old lady wondered how someone so young and carrying a child could be so giving and friendly to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan.
After the lady finished her meal, she handed the the waitress a one hundred dollar bill and said will be kind and take care of my tab for me. The waitress smiled and said sure. The waitress quickly went to get cash register paid her bill and then walked back to bring the lady her change. However when the waitress returned to the booth the old lady was gone; she had slipped out the side door. The waitress then noticed something written on a napkin next to the lady's plate. Tears swelled in the waitress’ eyes when she read the note the lady left - it said: "You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, so let me help you out. Under the napkin the old lady left four more $100 bills.
He could see that she was frightened and cold. He waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson."
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady on a raining night it was no easy task to fix so Bryan crawled under her car. Looking for a level spot to place the jack, he skinned his knuckles a few times. However in no time he was able to change the tire. But he had gotten dirty and his hand was bleeding.
As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was just passing through after visiting her sister who was in the hospital and she couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he put the jack back in the trunk and closed it.
The lady asked how much do I owe you young man. She would have gladly paid any amount he wanted for what he did as she imagined all the awful things that could have happened had this nice young man not stopped. Bryan never thought twice - "Not a thing Ma'am - I was just glad I was here to help someone in need". God knows there were plenty of times when people had given me a hand in the past and I just wanted to pay them back.
However he told her that if she really wanted to pay him, the next time she saw someone who was in need of help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and then he added, "Just think of me!" He stood next to her car until she drove off. It had been a cold and another depressing day for Bryan, but he felt good as he headed for home.
About six miles down the road the old lady saw a small cafe. She went inside to grab a bite to eat as it was still a long ride home for her. It was a dingy looking restaurant however the waitress came right over with a dry clean towel and said "Here, you might want to use this to wipe that wet hair". The waitress had a sweet smile.
The lady noticed the waitress was pregnant and when she returned with a menu the lady asked "How far are in your pregnancy". "8 ½ months the waitress replied". The lady thought if must be hard for her to be working at 8 ½ month pregnant, but the waitress never let the strain or aches of her pregnancy affect her positive attitude. The old lady wondered how someone so young and carrying a child could be so giving and friendly to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan.
After the lady finished her meal, she handed the the waitress a one hundred dollar bill and said will be kind and take care of my tab for me. The waitress smiled and said sure. The waitress quickly went to get cash register paid her bill and then walked back to bring the lady her change. However when the waitress returned to the booth the old lady was gone; she had slipped out the side door. The waitress then noticed something written on a napkin next to the lady's plate. Tears swelled in the waitress’ eyes when she read the note the lady left - it said: "You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, so let me help you out. Under the napkin the old lady left four more $100 bills.
There were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another night at midnight the diner closer. When the waitress got home she undressed and climbed into bed; however she couldn’t stop thinking about that nice old lady and the hand-written note and money left.
She thought how could the lady have known how much her and her husband had really needed that money? He had been laid off since the mill closed and with the baby due next month, it was going to be hard for them.
She looked over at her husband who was sound asleep. She knew how worried he was the past few weeks not being able to find steady employment. As he laid there sleeping she leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek. She then whispered soft and low, "Don’t worry honey - every thing's going to be all right. I really do love you, Bryan Anderson."
She looked over at her husband who was sound asleep. She knew how worried he was the past few weeks not being able to find steady employment. As he laid there sleeping she leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek. She then whispered soft and low, "Don’t worry honey - every thing's going to be all right. I really do love you, Bryan Anderson."
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