You know how everything feels so negative these days, and how easy it is to feel beat down about what’s happening in the world?
Well, recently I had an experience that restored my faith in humanity a little bit and reminded me to stop assuming that we’re all headed for disaster. Because honestly, isn’t that how we feel most of the time? My experience involved a tire blowing out on my way home from work. Normally a flat tire would kill the day. Maybe the day had been awesome right up until that point, but forever after the day would be remembered as THE AWFUL FLAT TIRE DAY.
However, it wasn’t awful, and here’s why. First, a good Samaritan offered to help me out. Towing companies on that hot day were experiencing 90-minute to two-hour delays, so assistance from a stranger was a welcome surprise — until we discovered that neither one of us had the right tools to change the tire. Rats. The other driver felt bad about the situation and even offered me a bottle of water before heading on his way. Then the second thing happened. After making a call to a local tire company, I received assistance in a surprisingly short time. All was going well … until it was determined that I didn’t have the right lug nuts for the spare tire. Rats. But the service person offered to go back to the store and see if they had any lug nuts left over from previous jobs. A short time later he returned with — ta da! — lug nuts, he changed the tire, made sure the spare had good air pressure, and packed up his tools. Then here’s the best part of this whole experience. The tire company didn’t charge me a thing — not for the service call (which ended up being two trips for the service person) or the lug nuts. All I could blurt out at this news was, “Are you kidding?” Between the offer of assistance from the total stranger and the outstanding customer service from the tire company, I pulled away from the side of the road a little bit stunned at how everything had turned out.
What could have been THE AWFUL FLAT TIRE DAY turned into a wonderful reminder that good people are out there, and good customer service is alive and well. So, keeping this positive vibe going, I am recommending library books that champion collaboration and compassion, in doing the right thing — with one title thrown in about do-it-herself auto maintenance, including how to change a tire. Just be sure to have the right lug nuts.
