Auto Repairing Society

(I am around twenty, am taking classes at a tech college. One day after class finishes I find that my old vehicle will not crank. I live a good forty-five minutes away via the interstate, so I am stranded at the school. As I sit there with the hood up contemplating whom to call, a couple of strangers approach.)

Stranger #1: “Are you all right?”

Me: “Yeah. Just, the vehicle won’t start. I know I’ve got plenty of gas, and it ran fine on the drive down here.”

Stranger #2: “I’m in the auto repair program. I can take a look, if you want?”

Me: “Yes, thank you. At least I can tell my dad what’s wrong when I call him.”

(Stranger #1 leaves since there’s nothing he can do at this point. Stranger #2 crawls under my vehicle and pokes about.)

Stranger #2: “It looks like a screw came loose from your starter and it’s not connecting properly. I don’t see it under your car, so it must’ve fallen out when you were driving.”

(After a failed attempt to hold the starter wires together via a non-conductive stick, I resign myself to calling my dad, who will then need to take off work, find a replacement screw, and drive the nearly-two-hours to my location.)

Me: “Thanks for trying. I guess I’ll call my dad and wait for him to come fix it.”

Stranger #2: “There’s an auto parts place down the road that sells screws. I’ll give you a lift so you’re not stuck here.”

(I hop in the stranger’s car and we drive to the auto parts place. Note that I am a rather sturdy female, and this guy was smaller than I. I’m always armed in some fashion, and the offer of assistance was perfectly normal for my area.)

Stranger #2: “I’ll get the screw. Meet you at the register.”

(While waiting, I notice a little fridge with cold bottled drinks. It’s a very hot day, so I grab a drink before heading to the registers. I set my drink beside the screw and take out my wallet to pay.)

Stranger #2: “Nah, I’ve got this.”

Me: “You’re sure? You don’t have to buy it for me.”

Stranger #2: “Yeah. I got it.”

(He paid for my screw and my drink, then fixed my starter so I could crank my vehicle. He refused all offers of compensation. I shall always remember how that random stranger went out of his way to help me without asking for anything in return.)