- Aug 16, 2010
- 322
- 2
- 111
We're all in this together.
Kindness of strangers
- Thread starter Fierlin1182
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #192
- Aug 26, 2011
- 17,155
- 330
- 476
Quote:
I seem to remember that from a song. Which song, I haven't got a clue.
We're ALL in this tog-ether...
I seem to remember that from a song. Which song, I haven't got a clue.
We're ALL in this tog-ether...
Last edited:
high school musical
The bottom of our driveway had gotten really bad - it was washed out from a number of abnormally heavy rains we've had this year, and we just hadn't had the money to get it fixed as I am currently unemployed and we're depending on DH's work (he works for himself) to carry us now. It's so bad that most people won't even attempt to come up it. We know the right 'line', but if you came in wrong, you could easily bottom out and damage your vehicle.
DH gave me some money to go out and buy gifts for the family today, and when I came back, the bottom 10' of the driveway (where the worst wash-out was) had been graded, and the bottom 3-4 feet at the street had been PAVED. They have been working on the streets in our neighborhood - fixing potholes, repairing bad spots - and they fixed the lower part of our driveway! When DH got home, he tracked down the guys, thanked them, and tipped them. We still have a little work to do above where they fixed, but it's much less than what it was.
DH also met our new neighbor (they just moved in), who owns a bobcat, and has access to a front-end loader - and offered to help us fix what's left.
DH gave me some money to go out and buy gifts for the family today, and when I came back, the bottom 10' of the driveway (where the worst wash-out was) had been graded, and the bottom 3-4 feet at the street had been PAVED. They have been working on the streets in our neighborhood - fixing potholes, repairing bad spots - and they fixed the lower part of our driveway! When DH got home, he tracked down the guys, thanked them, and tipped them. We still have a little work to do above where they fixed, but it's much less than what it was.
DH also met our new neighbor (they just moved in), who owns a bobcat, and has access to a front-end loader - and offered to help us fix what's left.
Been meaning to post this here for awhile now. Loved reading this thread!
OK here is my story...
When I was a young mother (just 28) I had just separated from my 1st husband, who had been physically abusive. My successful floral business was left behind since I had everything in the house and couldn't take it with me. I didn't know what I was going to do! My daughter's 1st grade teacher told me that I should go to school to get my teaching degree. She claimed that I had a special talent with kids (I volunteered in the classroom a lot) and that they just seemed to "turn on and tune in" when I was around. She talked me into making an appointment with a counselor at the local community college.
I'm not sure how she talked me into it since I had no money and, since I hadn't even finished high school, I was sure that college was out of the question for me. Well I made the appointment just to make her happy (she was such a Sweetie). When I arrived I met a man who was about the age I am now (a little older than my own parents were then). He sat me down and asked for my story. I told him I had made the appointment mostly at the insistence of my daughter's teacher but really I was just curious about the process and wanted to know what one would need to eventually be able to attend college.
Well I knew nothing about college, no one in my family had ever gone, but he was patient with me and answered my questions. No, you didn't need a high school diploma to attend community college (at least in that state at that time), No I would not need to take a bunch of courses to make up for what I lacked, unless the placement exam showed I needed them, and Yes there was financial aid to help with tuition. I'd never heard of financial aid so he had to volunteer this last bit of info.
I thanked him for the information and started to leave, knowing that I would probably never come back since the whole idea of going to college seemed so foreign to me. He stopped me and said "Don't you want to sign up for classes?", I said that I would consider it next semester since the current semester had already started. He asked me to sit down again and then pulled out the course offerings for the current semester.
"What is your work schedule like right now?" I told him what my part time job hours were. He asked me to "Take this paper to these two Professors, have them sign here and then bring it back to me. Just for grins we'll see what would happen if we could register you. Hurry now, they should still be on campus but we'll never know what would've happened if you miss them. It'll be good practice for you for later, when you are ready to sign up for real." I thought this was rather silly but decide to humor him. He was so insistent!
After I got back from that errand he told me to take these course codes (for a basic English class and a Psych 101 class) and go down to the book store to price the books for the courses. I didn't want to, it seemed silly when I had no idea when, or if, I would ever be attending for real. He said that when I decided to go he wanted me to know how to get these simple tasks completed so I would be ready and not overwhelmed. I did as he asked (but had to get help since I knew NOTHING).
When I returned to his office he asked how much the books came to. For just 2 classes they came to a little over $200!!! * I did warn you that this was a long time ago* I was horrified! Now I was sure I would not be attending! I returned to his office to say thanks but no thanks! "But here's financial aid!" he said. "Well what was the process for applying", I replied. He admitted that you needed to be registered already to apply. Well since it was too much to register I again said "no thanks".
He said "Wait a minute. Just sit down and give me a couple more minutes." He pulled out paper and pen and started adding sums together. "OK it's this much for books and this much to register and this much for parking and you'll need a few basic supplies like notebooks etc..." He then proceeded to pull a few hundred dollars out of his wallet! I was so confused! And instantly suspicious! I knew what it usually meant when a man was suddenly being very generous.
He held the money, and the form the Professors had signed, out to me and said to go pay my tuition and to get a parking permit. We were only 2 weeks into the semester and the Professors had already accepted me into their classes. In fact I was due in class in a little over an hour. I refused saying that I didn't accept gifts from strangers. He responded by saying, "Look I know what you are thinking. I don't expect a thing in exchange for this money. I just hope that if my own daughter or grand daughter were in the same situation that someone would be there to help them! You also don't need to worry about paying it back. I can afford to do this now and then. I'm not going hungry or anything like that (he then looked pointedly at his belly). He pushed the money into my hand. "I won't listen to another excuse!" he said.
I could see he meant every word! I was so touched! I choked out a "thank you" and took the money and form he was handing me. By the end of the day I was signed up for classes (part time), had even attended my first class and had a parking permit, as well as books and supplies. My head was spinning! I tried to pay him back when I got my financial aid but he refused to let me. When I graduated I took what he had given me, put it into an envelope with a thank you card, and hid it in his desk when I saw him head to lunch.
I explained how much his gift had meant to me and how proud I was to have finished my AA, with Honors, and to be heading off to a four year college to finish my Bachelor's. I wrote that I needed to pay him back since I was sure he would use it to help another poor soul and I loved the idea that one more person would get the same chance I had gotten. I still tear up just telling this story! That man, and my daughter's 1st grade teacher, changed my life!
Now you know why I waited so long to tell this story. It's a chore for me to type this much. Even with 2 college degrees I still don't know how to type! LOL
OK here is my story...
When I was a young mother (just 28) I had just separated from my 1st husband, who had been physically abusive. My successful floral business was left behind since I had everything in the house and couldn't take it with me. I didn't know what I was going to do! My daughter's 1st grade teacher told me that I should go to school to get my teaching degree. She claimed that I had a special talent with kids (I volunteered in the classroom a lot) and that they just seemed to "turn on and tune in" when I was around. She talked me into making an appointment with a counselor at the local community college.
I'm not sure how she talked me into it since I had no money and, since I hadn't even finished high school, I was sure that college was out of the question for me. Well I made the appointment just to make her happy (she was such a Sweetie). When I arrived I met a man who was about the age I am now (a little older than my own parents were then). He sat me down and asked for my story. I told him I had made the appointment mostly at the insistence of my daughter's teacher but really I was just curious about the process and wanted to know what one would need to eventually be able to attend college.
Well I knew nothing about college, no one in my family had ever gone, but he was patient with me and answered my questions. No, you didn't need a high school diploma to attend community college (at least in that state at that time), No I would not need to take a bunch of courses to make up for what I lacked, unless the placement exam showed I needed them, and Yes there was financial aid to help with tuition. I'd never heard of financial aid so he had to volunteer this last bit of info.
I thanked him for the information and started to leave, knowing that I would probably never come back since the whole idea of going to college seemed so foreign to me. He stopped me and said "Don't you want to sign up for classes?", I said that I would consider it next semester since the current semester had already started. He asked me to sit down again and then pulled out the course offerings for the current semester.
"What is your work schedule like right now?" I told him what my part time job hours were. He asked me to "Take this paper to these two Professors, have them sign here and then bring it back to me. Just for grins we'll see what would happen if we could register you. Hurry now, they should still be on campus but we'll never know what would've happened if you miss them. It'll be good practice for you for later, when you are ready to sign up for real." I thought this was rather silly but decide to humor him. He was so insistent!
After I got back from that errand he told me to take these course codes (for a basic English class and a Psych 101 class) and go down to the book store to price the books for the courses. I didn't want to, it seemed silly when I had no idea when, or if, I would ever be attending for real. He said that when I decided to go he wanted me to know how to get these simple tasks completed so I would be ready and not overwhelmed. I did as he asked (but had to get help since I knew NOTHING).
When I returned to his office he asked how much the books came to. For just 2 classes they came to a little over $200!!! * I did warn you that this was a long time ago* I was horrified! Now I was sure I would not be attending! I returned to his office to say thanks but no thanks! "But here's financial aid!" he said. "Well what was the process for applying", I replied. He admitted that you needed to be registered already to apply. Well since it was too much to register I again said "no thanks".
He said "Wait a minute. Just sit down and give me a couple more minutes." He pulled out paper and pen and started adding sums together. "OK it's this much for books and this much to register and this much for parking and you'll need a few basic supplies like notebooks etc..." He then proceeded to pull a few hundred dollars out of his wallet! I was so confused! And instantly suspicious! I knew what it usually meant when a man was suddenly being very generous.
He held the money, and the form the Professors had signed, out to me and said to go pay my tuition and to get a parking permit. We were only 2 weeks into the semester and the Professors had already accepted me into their classes. In fact I was due in class in a little over an hour. I refused saying that I didn't accept gifts from strangers. He responded by saying, "Look I know what you are thinking. I don't expect a thing in exchange for this money. I just hope that if my own daughter or grand daughter were in the same situation that someone would be there to help them! You also don't need to worry about paying it back. I can afford to do this now and then. I'm not going hungry or anything like that (he then looked pointedly at his belly). He pushed the money into my hand. "I won't listen to another excuse!" he said.
I could see he meant every word! I was so touched! I choked out a "thank you" and took the money and form he was handing me. By the end of the day I was signed up for classes (part time), had even attended my first class and had a parking permit, as well as books and supplies. My head was spinning! I tried to pay him back when I got my financial aid but he refused to let me. When I graduated I took what he had given me, put it into an envelope with a thank you card, and hid it in his desk when I saw him head to lunch.
I explained how much his gift had meant to me and how proud I was to have finished my AA, with Honors, and to be heading off to a four year college to finish my Bachelor's. I wrote that I needed to pay him back since I was sure he would use it to help another poor soul and I loved the idea that one more person would get the same chance I had gotten. I still tear up just telling this story! That man, and my daughter's 1st grade teacher, changed my life!
Now you know why I waited so long to tell this story. It's a chore for me to type this much. Even with 2 college degrees I still don't know how to type! LOL
Wow... What a great professor!
I loved reading this and teared up at the end. Thank you so much for sharing it!
Thank-you for sharing a great story!
- Thread starter
- #199
- Aug 26, 2011
- 17,155
- 330
- 476
Aw, that is sweet! There are some great people out there! 
As for me... (gosh, this thread has been dormant for a long time) I've recently volunteered to attempt to help the junior school kids with their work. This is probably going to be a fail as when I try teaching, it usually ends in some sort of violence directed towards me.
But it can't hurt to try.
As for me... (gosh, this thread has been dormant for a long time) I've recently volunteered to attempt to help the junior school kids with their work. This is probably going to be a fail as when I try teaching, it usually ends in some sort of violence directed towards me.
But it can't hurt to try.Thank you all! I still tear up thinking about it and it was over 10 years ago.
Fierlin1182 just relax and I'm sure you'll be OK. Just remember kids are like dogs in that they can smell your fear! Just don't act like prey and you'll be fine.
Fierlin1182 just relax and I'm sure you'll be OK. Just remember kids are like dogs in that they can smell your fear! Just don't act like prey and you'll be fine.
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